Legend of Zelda: Shadow Agent
by SausageLink43
Summary: Link, top agent of the Hyrule Bureau of Investigation. Ganondorf, tyrannical conqueror of Hyrule and bearer of almighty power. Zelda, elusive and mysterious prodigy. In the distant future, when fate brings these three together, the apocalyptic nations of Hyrule and Lorule will clash — and only one will be entitled a champion. Sci-fi AU ZeLink. -ON HOLD-
1. Prologue

**This is my first AU. Thanks for checking it out. If you haven't already, read my Skyward Sword sequel story. It's called "Zelda: Skyward Sword- The Birth of Hyrule."**

**This story will have no OCs. The characters will be mostly taken from Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and Ocarina of Time. Link and Zelda in this story are based on their Skyward Sword appearances, for the record.**

**This story takes place in modern day, with technology and gadgets and the like. I will focus on ZeLink romance and action. Don't worry: it's NOT a cliché high school love story. I typically don't like those.**

**Oh, and this is a common thing. I give song suggestions for you readers to listen to while reading, and I specify when you should listen to which song. The songs will come from games like Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, and even Hyrule Warriors.**

**Song Suggestions: Backstory- "Fi's Theme (Piano Lament)" / Misc.- "Guilty Feeling" (Skyward Sword OST, Hyrule Warriors OST, respectively)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

**Feel free to leave a Review, Follow, and/or Favorite!**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

0650 HOURS.

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

"Link!" Pipit yelled to me. "Get up, man!"

My eyelids snapped open and I saw my brown-haired friend looking down at me. I was laying on the tile floor beneath my desk, files and worthless papers scattered around. I slowly propped myself up on my elbows, squinting at the bright lights hanging down from the ceiling.

"Look," he scolded, "just because you're the 'legendary hero's descendant' doesn't mean that you get to sleep on the job. You're lucky that the great Ganondorf didn't kill you immediately upon learning your identity." He sighed. "Now get up. We still have a case to crack." He offered me his hand, and I took it willingly.

Once I was at eye level with Pipit, I said, "Yeah… what was that, exactly?"

Pipit put a hand to his face, groaning. "Oh my Hylia, Link. Sometimes I wonder how you even got into this honored agency." I ignored his comment and looked at him for further explanation. Pipit sighed. "Some Ordon villagers are stealing from Castle Town."

"What are they stealing?" I asked, yawning and rubbing my tired eyes.

"Plague medications. They're stealing from the higher class. That's enough to send them to their graves," Pipit said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If the plague doesn't do that already," I muttered under my breath.

"What?"

I shook my head. "We're not going to kill them, are we?"

Pipit ran his fingers through his hair. "…If push comes to shove, then yes."

"Pipit, Ordon Village used to be my home. We can't do that!"

"Link, let go of the past!" Pipit yelled in my face. "So what if you used to live in the slums of Ordon? You were drop dead broke! Now look at yourself! You're a top-notch agent for the HBI, serving the great Ganon himself. Forget about that past life, okay, Link? Me picking you up off the streets was the best thing that ever happened to you." I nodded, grateful for my friend.

I was thrust into a memory of the past that I wasn't too fond of.

* * *

Shortly after my (unfortunate) birth in Ordon, both of my parents died. I raised myself. I lived alone in a tree house that I had crafted with my fine woodworking skills. Unlike the rest of the kingdom, blessed with lights, heat, and electricity, the Ordon Province was the poorest province. The roads weren't paved; instead they were dirt. If you touched anything rather than your own clothes and home, you'd be infected with the plague. I often wandered the streets with a mask pulled over my mouth and nose, hoping to find something useful. However, most of my necessities were located in the forest behind my tree house, such as fruit, firewood, and clean water. My neighbors weren't strong (and/or smart) enough to search for their needs in the forest like me, due to their plague-infected bodies and fears of monsters lurking in the trees.

Despite terrible living conditions, I still had friends. There was Talo, an action-driven boy who loved adventures. Malo was a grumpy, quiet human being who always tried to sell me stuff that I didn't need. I was cautious with the few rupees in my wallet. And then there was Ilia… sweet, innocent Ilia… who had the plague and tried to kiss me to get me infected.

What a bitch.

I was fifteen, wandering the streets looking for work to gain some more rupees. That's when a magnificent black steed galloped up to me. When the rider in his dark yellow tunic saw me, he slowed the horse to a stop. The black stallion reared up on its hind legs, kicking its front legs outward.

"Greetings," said the man, who looked to be my age. I studied his tunic. On the right breast was a patch that had three letters on it: HBI.

"Greetings returned," I said respectfully.

The boy had a good-sized pistol on his waist, making me shift uneasily. Strapped on my back was an iron shield that I had welded, which should easily block the bullets that could shoot out of that gun. I put my arm over it, ready to whip it out if needed.

"I hear talk of an Ordonian prodigy, such as myself," he said. "Tell me… what is your name?"

"Link." I began to back up slowly, but stopped to show that I wasn't afraid. "And you?"

"They call me Pipit," he said. "I am the Eldin Province's prodigy. If you haven't noticed by my badge already," he pointed at it with a proud smile, "I am in the HBI."

"Yes, I saw it." Okay, this guy was freaking me out. Since when does Hyrule ever care about the slums of Ordon? Why would they send an HBI agent to our village all of a sudden? "Uh… What brings you to Ordon, Pipit?"

"Ah, do not worry. No one here is in trouble with the law." Pausing, Pipit rethought his last comment. "…Yet," he added slyly. "Nay, I have come to recruit another prodigy… Do you have any idea who that person could be?"

I shrugged. Truthfully, I knew I was Ordon's prodigy. Every province had one, which would form today's HBI (a small agency, for the record. It only has five agents so far). Here's how prodigies are found:

Every year, all children at age eleven from every province would board a bus to Castle Town, Hyrule's largest, most magnificent city. The buses lead to a government facility, where every child takes an "anonymous" assessment, required by Ganondorf to find good soldiers to help fight against the Lorule Provinces (the rebellion). The assessments record physical, mental, and strategical ability. Though Hyrule claims that these tests are anonymous, they inscribe tattoos on every child's arm, displaying their score in bold, black ink. A perfect score is a 900. Only prodigies get 900's. Those people get sent to the HBI without a moment's notice, where they will be trained to become Hyrule's greatest agents.

"Are you infected with the plague, Link?" Pipit asked.

I shook my head. "No. I am very cautious."

Pipit nodded, a smile forming on his lips. "May I see your right arm?"

I hesitated, thinking. Did I want to stay in Ordon with my friends, and possibly die? Or did I want to work for an agency for the kingdom that I didn't give a shit about?

Finally, I made my decision. I walked up to the boy on the black stallion, pulling back my long brown sleeve.

Pipit smiled at the perfect 900 tattoo, realizing he found his guy.

* * *

"You're right," I told Pipit.

"Damn right, I'm right!" Pipit exclaimed with a grin, patting my shoulder.

The HBI was supposed to be a top-secret location, and it was, save for we members, Ganondorf, and one other person: Zant.

Zant was known as the descendant of the Usurper King, ruler of the Twilight Realm, who somehow made it back into the world of light. The portal to the Twilight Realm was destroyed many years ago, so it was a mystery as to how this generation's Zant is living in the world of light.

Anyway, Zant was a successful entrepreneur who owned a massive skyscraper in Castle Town, and was loyal to the king. So, he agreed to give the top floor of his business to us, the Hyrule Bureau of Investigation. (Zant's business was selling historical artifacts that were scattered around Hyrule; most said artifacts were the items and gadgets my descendants had used back in the uncivilized days of yore. Anyway, he named his business "Zantland" for narcissistic reasons.)

My job was downright awesome. My desk was right by a window, overlooking the entire city of Castle Town. The view was amazing. The only downside of working in the top floor of a skyscraper was the painfully long elevator ride up.

Our facility had seven desks, but only five were occupied by agents. The remaining two were left empty for the next prodigies to reveal themselves.

Pipit and I had gotten to work early, determined to finish this case for King Ganondorf. That's why I had fallen asleep; it was only 7 a.m.

I heard the ding of the elevator, and I knew that we were about to be joined by a fellow agent. In came Groose, Lanayru Province's prodigy. The broad-shouldered Gerudo boy marched in with a spring in his step. He wore a pair of dark sunglasses, which each agent had been issued. He took them off and peered at us. "You two are in here early," he said.

"We could say the same for you," I said.

"Shut it, Ordonian! I ain't doin' nothin'!" Groose retorted.

I looked at Pipit, confused. I honestly didn't know how Groose got a perfect 900 on the exams… I was actually quite surprised he even passed. I thought he cheated, which was virtually impossible. Groose wasn't very smart, but somehow he managed.

"Calm down, Groose," Pipit said. "Link wasn't accusing you of anything."

Groose rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at the blue carpet. "Yeah, okay. You see… the reason I came here was…" Groose began snickering, staring off into space and letting his imagination take over.

"Go on, Groose," Pipit urged.

The muscular boy snapped out of his dream world. "Right! The reason I came here was because… Malon and Fledge found the next prodigy! Fledge said it's…" he began snickering again, "a girl."

I rolled my eyes. "Dammit, Groose! If you scare this one off with your creepy flirting, I swear-"

I was cut short by another ding of the elevator. The metal does opened, revealing three figures. Fledge and Malon, prodigies from Faron Province and Lake Hylia respectively, walked in. A blonde girl followed.

The girl stepped inside the facility, her blue eyes locked with mine. Her skin was slightly pale, but it didn't affect her beauty in any negative way. She wore a white dress ending slightly below her knees. Her golden hair was held together on either side of her face by purple hair bands, with matching bracelets and shoes. She was, in all honesty, beautiful.

Malon, the cute girl from Lon Lon Ranch beside Lake Hylia, said, "Pipit, Link, Groose, I'd like you to meet the prodigy from Castle Town-"

I knew who she was. I never met her, but I easily recognized her. That's why I didn't let Malon finish her sentence.

"Zelda."

* * *

**Yeah, it was short. But they'll get longer as I go along. Please check out my other story, "Zelda: Skyward Sword- The Birth of Hyrule".**

**Since I can't put a picture here, allow me to type you up a brief geography lesson:**

**In the kingdom of Hyrule, there are seven provinces. Directly in the middle of the map is Hyrule Castle (NOT A PROVINCE). North- Eldin Province (volcano). South of Hyrule Castle is Castle Town (skyscrapers, metropolis). East- Faron Province (forest, but civilized). South- Ordonia Province (the ghetto). West- Lanayru Province (desert). Northeast- Snowpeak Province (snowy mountains). Southeast- Lake Hylia (plains, lake, river).**

**The Lorule Provinces are far south of Ordon Village, but I'll get to explaining those in the future.**

**Anyway, I hope you like this AU. I am going to make it a lot longer, if it's well-received.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	2. Snowpeak

**I'm back, baby.**

**So you know how Lorule was the evil version of Hyrule in Zelda: A Link Between Worlds? Well in this story Lorule is the good version of Hyrule, since Hyrule had been overthrown by Ganon. Just clearing that up.**

**Song suggestions: Rupin encounter- "Under Siege" / Misc.- "Guilty Feeling" (Both songs from Hyrule Warriors OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Snowpeak**

2150 HOURS.

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

We prodigies all lived a block away from Zantland and the agency. That way we'd "never be late to work," according to King Ganondorf. What a fool, he was. We didn't even have supervisors! No one would catch us if we were late.

Anyway, since we prodigies required large living spaces, the ninth (and top) floor of Anju Apartments only had four rooms. The owner, Anju herself, said that due to limited space, everyone would have to share a room with another. Pipit and Groose were roommates, and Fledge and Malon were roommates as well. Malon chose Fledge to be her roommate because he was nicer and more timid, and she didn't want a hormonal guy (namely Groose) drooling over her while they lived together.

So, lucky for me, I got a room all to myself.

That is, they said, until the next prodigy comes. Then I'd get a roommate. I protested, arguing that the next prodigy should just take the last room and leave me alone in mine. They retorted by saying that the last prodigy to reveal himself or herself would live in that room.

So there I was, opening the door to let Zelda into my apartment.

"Um, h-hey," she said timidly, almost cutely.

Wait, what!? Come on, Link. You don't even know her. Don't develop feelings for a coworker anyway.

"Hello," I said without a smile. I extended my hand out to her. "May I take your bags?"

She nodded, handing over a large black bag. "Thank you."

After awkwardly setting the bag down in the middle of the room, I turned to face her. She was staring at me, like she had no idea what she was supposed to do. "Okay, I need to know where you'll be sleeping, and stuff."

Zelda pointed to the opposite side of the room where my bed was. "There… I'll take that half."

My apartment was freaking awesome. I could see how amazed Zelda was when she first came in. The door was at the south end of the room, and when you first walk in you're standing on kitchen tiles. The northeast corner of the walls were windows from ceiling to floor, overlooking the entire beauty of Castle Town. Naturally, Zelda picked that side to put her stuff. The kitchen was in the southwest corner, but it was large, complete with state-of-the-art appliances. A bathroom was in the southeastern corner. My belongings (queen-sized bed, cupboards, wardrobe, nightstand, picture frame of my parents, and a lamp) were in the northwestern corner of the apartment. I didn't have much, but that left more room for Zelda.

I had bought an extra bed, cupboards, wardrobe, and nightstand for the new prodigy a year ago when I had actually wanted a roommate. Stupid me. Be careful what you wish for, dumb sixteen-year-old self. So, those said items were left on Zelda's side of the room.

"I'm sorry," said the blonde girl, "but I didn't catch your name. What is it?"

"Link," I said. I offered her my gloved hand and she took it, shaking it daintily. "Don't worry; I mean well. You'll enjoy it here, Zelda," I said nonchalantly.

The blonde nodded, still looking at me a little funny. What was with this girl? "Link, how do you know my name?"

"Hmm?" I asked, readjusting my dark green cap over my long, golden-brown hair.

"I haven't even told you my name… yet you know it somehow. Why is that?"

I sighed, not knowing exactly how I knew this girl's name. But she wanted an answer, so I needed to give her one. "You know that legend that you hear by the campfire, or that your parents tell you at bedtime…?" She tilted her head in my direction, intrigued. I went on. "Of course, there are many legends Hyrule has to offer. But I'm talking of the very first one."

Zelda sat down on her bed. "…The legend of the skies?"

"Yes. Hylia's chosen hero destroyed Demise, the Demon King. In a dying wish, he cursed the hero and Hylia's reincarnate to be reborn every hundred years or so, along with the hatred that burns within Demise…"

"And… how does this have to do with you knowing my name?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm getting there. Anyway, I am Link, the hero's descendant. I have a feeling that you are of the same bloodline as Hylia's reincarnate." I paused, kneeling down to her eye level. "I feel like fate has brought us together."

She backed up, her expression mixed with confusion and worry. "I don't think I have Hylia's blood, Link," she said meekly. "I can't trace back to my ancestors… I can't even trace back to my parents."

"What?" I asked, sitting next to her. "What do you mean?"

She looked into my blue eyes with her own beautiful ones, murmuring, "…My parents are dead."

I nodded in realization, looking down at the floor. "I know how you feel."

Zelda shook her head. "No you don't, Link. For all I know, you're some rich kid who had a perfect childhood living with your parents, and… and…" She began to sob, putting her hands in her face. "You don't know what it's like to have no childhood…"

"I grew up as an orphan in the ghettos of the Ordonia Province," I said firmly. Zelda looked at me through her tears, mouth slightly agape. "Every day I had to cover my face to protect myself from the plague while walking down the dirt roads. I lived in a tree house with a maximum of five rupees in my pocket per week. No electricity, no plague medications, nothing. When I took the exams at age eleven I had avoided any government official so I wouldn't have to leave my home and work for a kingdom I don't give a damn about." I stood up, maintaining eye contact with the girl. "So, I'm sorry you lost your parents."

I left my own apartment, slamming the door on the way out.

* * *

2230 HOURS.

ANJU APARTMENTS LOBBY, CASTLE TOWN.

65 DEGREES INSIDE.

I was about to leave the building and go for a walk to cool myself down. Before I could, however, something caught my eye. I looked into a mirror next to the revolving door, seeing an almost foreign man looking back at me.

I was in my dark forest-colored tunic (not the bright green that my ancestors wore; a much darker tunic). I wore a similarly-colored hat, which was long and pointy at the end much like my ancestors' hats. Under my tunic was a smoky undershirt, almost black. And finally underneath that was a thin, but bulletproof, vest. On my right breast, shining silver letters read: HBI. The tunic ended just above my elbows, and on my arms were two brown gauntlets. Over my eyes were the standard HBI sunglasses, and I wore them even though it was night.

I looked one hundred percent badass.

I was about to go back upstairs and apologize to my new roommate, who I felt that I needed to get along with, when I spotted something peculiar out the window.

In the barely-illuminated streets of night, I caught a glimpse of a familiar man walking past the apartment complex. He had a large backpack which was overstuffed with masks. His face was wrinkled from excessive smiling, but today he wore just a determined frown.

On a mission, I suppose?

I chuckled when I saw the Triforce logo (the symbol of Lorule) on the man's purple vest. Some rookie Lorulean in a cheap disguise. I heard talk of this man lurking in the streets of Castle Town. Now was my chance to catch him.

I didn't know what he was up to, but I knew he'd be trouble. Maybe I should tail him?

"Link?" asked the bellhop, Kafei. "Malon wants to know where you've stormed off to…"

I kept looking at the man, who stopped in the middle of the street. "Tell them I'm going for a walk," I said.

"Yes, Link."

I flipped Kafei a red rupee and began to ease my way toward the revolving lobby door. Then the guy with the masks quickly turned his head, looking straight at me with a freaky Redead mask on his face.

I jumped, startled at the hideous mask.

The mask guy removed the Redead mal from his face, laughing at me. He mouthed, "You fool," in my direction, then broke into a run down the streets.

"Hey!" I yelled.

I was in hot pursuit, pushing my way through the revolving door and sprinting full-speed towards the Lorulean man. He was quick on his feet, but the heavy backpack weighed him down. I easily caught up, yelling, "Stop!"

The man turned his head, this time wearing a Goron mask on his face. I hesitated before lunging upwards, bringing my fist into the center of the mask, caving it in. He fell to the ground, removing the dented mask from his face. People gathered close enough to see, but far enough away as to not be seen by me.

"Ow!" complained the man. "What was that for? Can't you take a joke?"

I cuffed his hands together with a pair of handcuffs I kept in my pouch. "No hard feelings," I said. "Just business."

"What 'business'?" mocked the man.

"I work for the HBI, and you obviously work for Lorule. Therefore, you are under arrest." I gripped the chain in between the two cuffs, ripping the man up to his feet. "Name?" I demanded.

"Rupin. Some refer to me as the 'Happy Mask Salesman.'" Then the guy smiled creepily.

"What are you smiling about, you fool?"

The man's eyes flickered white, as if taking a picture of me, and then he said, "Now we know who to look for."

The man's frame turned to thin blue wires, and he disappeared into thin air.

A hologram.

"Damn!" I cursed as the handcuffs fell to the ground. I snatched them up and returned them to my pouch.

_Now we know who to look for._

What could that mean? When Rupin's eyes flashed, he took a picture of me, most likely sending it back to the Lorule Provinces. After all, the Loruleans were the first to cover up with technology like that.

Disappointed at myself, I shook my head and returned to my apartment building, ignoring all onlookers.

* * *

0845 HOURS.

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

65 DEGREES INSIDE.

I awoke with a burning sensation in my left fist. At first I was confused, but then I remembered punching the hologram. Doing so will shock your system for a few hours, forcing your mind to not feel the pain. Then after a while of ignorance you feel what I was feeling. Burning.

I shoved the sheets off of my body and hurried to the sink, where I ran cold water over my inured hand. I had completely forgotten about having a roommate, so I hadn't had the decency to be quiet that morning.

Zelda shifted in her bed, then sat up to view me. "Uh, morning, Link…" she murmured.

"Morning," I replied, turning off the water. I reached into a cabinet and pulled out a jar of blue Chu Jelly, which supposedly helped soothe burns. I spread some onto my knuckles with my other hand, ignoring Zelda's confused look aimed at me.

"What's the Chu Jelly for?" she asked me, stretching her limbs subtly.

"I got burned last night," I said flatly. I returned the jar to its shelf, closing the cabinet door. "Lorulean hologram."

Zelda nodded, though it looked like she didn't understand. She was very new to the agency; she probably didn't know close to half the stuff we did about technology. She looked like she was about to ask me something, but was struggling to find words.

I walked over to her side of the room and offered her an explanation. "Last night, after I… left, I saw this guy walking down the street. On his vest was a Triforce."

"The Lorule symbol?"

"Yes. A stupid rookie mistake, I had thought. Everyone knows the Hyrulean symbol is the Great Sword. So when I ran out to confront the guy, I took a swing at him," I showed her my jelly-covered fist, "and I earned this. Then the guy took a picture of me, said, 'Now we know who to look for,' and disappeared."

"They're looking for you? What- why?" Zelda stood up from her bed and looked at me, concerned. The girl just met me and she was already worried about my well-being.

"Don't know. Lorule is probably out to kill me now." I sighed, looking down at the ground. "Listen, I don't know you at all, so don't think this is 'coming from the heart,' or whatever," I said with air quotes. She nodded, urging me to finish my thought. "If they're after me, stay away. We don't want them to get two prodigies." I worded it like I was more worried about Lorule's success than Zelda being safe. But that wasn't true.

Zelda nodded, her expression grim and sorrowful. I watched her walk away toward the bathroom, her nightgown revealing her long, pale legs.

Stop staring.

I shook off my thoughts as Zelda entered the bathroom to change, and I did the same out in the room. Instead of my thin white night shirt and brown shorts, I adorned my usual attire, but I didn't get the chance to throw on my clothes from the waist up before Zelda came back out.

She jumped upon seeing me shirtless, blushing furiously. "S-sorry! I- I didn't k-know…" when her words started malfunctioning, she cut herself off and walked to retrieve her forgotten hair bands.

When Zelda shut the door with one last awkward apology, I chuckled slightly to myself. I continued to throw on my white undershirt, bulletproof vest, dark green tunic, and gauntlets.

When Zelda returned from the bathroom minutes later, I offered to cook her some breakfast. She accepted, and I began to work on scrambling some cucco eggs.

"By the way, Link…" Zelda said from the counter, sitting on the stool and leaning her elbow on the granite surface, "…I'm sorry."

I nodded, not looking up from the pan. After a short while I replied, "…Me too."

"So… we're okay?" she asked, resting her chin on her hand.

"Yeah," I said, meeting her eyes, "we're okay." When the eggs were done, I took off two plates and scraped them onto the plates with a spatula. Then I gave Zelda her serving of eggs with a fork, and I made sure to give her and myself a glass of Lon Lon milk. I sat down on the stool next to her, which she was subtly surprised about. She eyed me uneasily, but then appeared nonchalant.

"Do you like working for the HBI?" Zelda asked after a brief moment of silence.

"I love my job, but I just hate-" I cut myself off before finishing my thought. I didn't trust Zelda yet; she could turn me in for saying things I was about to say.

"Link?" She touched my arm, causing me too flinch slightly. "You just hate what?"

I sighed, looking back down at my half-eaten eggs. "I hate working for Ganondorf," I said in a low whisper, as if eavesdroppers were here.

Zelda's eyebrows raised. "Why?"

"You kidding? You know the Ordonia Province? It's been infected with the plague for years on end. And does Ganon give a damn about it? No." I took a bite of my eggs, trying to cool myself down. "And you know what he's forcing us to do?"

Zelda intertwined her fingers in mine, and I struggled to meet her eyes. "What?" she asked sweetly.

I finally met her sky-blue eyes, saying quietly, "Invade the village… Ganon says that the Ordonians are stealing plague meds from the upper classes."

"Okay, Link. I know we don't know each other very well at all, but we can agree on one thing." She put her other hand to mine, smiling warmly. "I hate Ganon too."

"What has he done to you?"

"Killed my parents, I'm pretty sure."

"What!?" I exclaimed, though the news should not have surprised me.

Zelda sighed, looking down at her cleared plate. "I'll explain things to you eventually…" she said, choking up a bit. "…It's just not the right time."

I nodded, though I hated to be left hanging like that. I sure hoped I'd fine out eventually.

* * *

1207 HOURS.

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

"Gee, Link, you're pretty late today, aren't you?" said Malon with a cute wink.

Malon had been my friend since I first came to the agency two years ago, and I thought she had a crush on me. She, Fledge, and Pipit had been the first three prodigies all at age eleven, and had to be trained by experts to use things like guns, knives, and state-of-the-art technology. Then came Groose at age thirteen, who was probably too dumb to realize that perfect scorers get to be accepted into the HBI. So one day, as Malon told me, Groose walked up to a soldier guarding the gate to the Lanayru Province, and showed him his right arm. Then he asked the soldier, who was standing there in disbelief, "Is this a good score?"

"Yeah," I replied to Malon, "I slept in a few extra hours." After Zelda had left for the agency this morning, I did just that: sleep. It was a bit of a habit of mine.

"It's so unfair," Groose muttered. "We all show up here on time, and then the slimy Ordonian shows up two hours late…"

"Shut up, Groose!" snapped Pipit. "Sure, Link does need to show up on time, but that gives you no right to say things like that to him! Shame on you."

Groose just scoffed at the yellow-clad boy. "And who are you to say things like that to me?"

"A guy who can kick your ass."

That shut Groose up.

"…Anyway," Fledge muttered, "Link, we're temporarily suspending the Ordonia case for the day."

"Well, that's good…" I said under my breath. This time more audibly, I asked, "What are we doing today, then?"

Fledge offered me a slight grin, and he looked at Pipit. Pipit said with a determined smile, "We've found the next prodigy."

* * *

1420 HOURS.

SHEIKAH SETTLEMENT, SNOWPEAK PROVINCE.

29 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Though we were at the bottom of the icy mountain, the province was still bitterly cold. We agents had to wear black jumpsuits that covered virtually every part of our bodies save our eyes, which were masked by our black sunglasses. Despite my rather warm attire, I was shivering cold.

"Hey!" I called out to Pipit, my voice slightly muffled by both the jumpsuit and wind. He looked my way. "Why are all of us are here to find the last prodigy?"

Typically, only one agent rode up to the province on horseback to find the next genius, but oddly enough all of us were at Snowpeak. For me, it was Pipit riding up to Ordon Village. For Groose, Malon had ridden her horse named Epona up to Gerudo Valley.

"They say that Snowpeak is on Lorule's side!" Pipit hollered back. "This mountain is home to the Sheikah tribe, who were once loyal to the late King Daphnes!"

Zelda, who stood next to me on the snowy ground, tensed up subtly at Pipit's comment. I was the only one who noticed it, but I didn't bother to question.

"The Sheikah are dangerous to Hyrule, Ganon said," Pipit continued. "Though they never openly opposed of him, rumor has it that some of them slip away to the rebellion provinces unnoticed! We must practice great caution while searching for the next agent!"

We all nodded. Though Pipit had no authority over any of us, we all looked up to him as a natural leader. Even Groose did.

We trudged along through the snow, toward the ramshackle mansion built directly at the button of the mountain. It was built from stone bricks, but the outside was poorly maintained. The scarce plant life that grew in this region was located on the sides of the large home, which were ivy and moss. Surrounding the mansion were better-built longhouses, home to the lesser Sheikah.

Pipit knocked on the door rather forcefully, at which Malon winced in preparation for what was to come. The door swung open after a brief moment, and standing inside was the tribe's leader, Impa. She swung the long strand of white hair over her shoulder, her red eyes locked with Pipit's glasses. "HBI agents, hmm?" she said in a rather masculine voice. "Please leave. We do not want your business here."

"In afraid you can't make us leave, ma'am," said Groose.

Impa's fiery eyes narrowed at Groose and she snarled. Her skin was somewhat tan, despite the region she lived in. Under her left eye was a teardrop painted in red paint, as well as three triangles painted above her eye and below her brow. Located at her waist were various daggers, and even a flintlock pistol. I didn't know how the Sheikah hot ahold of advanced weaponry. (Though "advanced" weaponry these days were blasters, which shot blue beams that you could program to either kill or stun.)

"We have come for your prodigy," Pipit said, taking a step forward.

In defense, Impa put her hand to the daggers at her waist. "I'd advise you to step back."

Pipit grumbled. He was a man of business; when it came to serving Ganondorf he'd throw his own opinion away and immediately follow orders. A good soldier; not a very good man. "This action is required by King Ganondorf himself, ma'am. Now I'm going to ask you one more time…" Pipit withdrew his black blaster, but didn't point it at her. "Where is your prodigy?"

I saw Impa's eyes briefly and subtly drift behind us, and she seemed to be viewing a moving figure. I whipped my head around to see a fleeing boy our age, carrying a backpack filled with Sheikah weaponry. "Hey!" I yelled. I began chasing the boy, with my companions following close behind. Impa had latched onto Groose's arm, digging into his flesh with her red nails. Groose wailed in pain, but slapped Impa's hand away and began to follow us.

The boy was very quick, but his stuffed backpack weighed him down. When I got close enough I lunged forward, grabbing onto his ankles with my hands. We both fell to the icy ground, and I slammed my knee into an icy stone on the ground. I grimaced in pain, but held on to the struggling Sheikah boy.

"Let me go!" he yelled in rage. "I'm not working for your goddess-damned agency!"

"You don't have a choice!" Pipit said when he caught up to us. "Link, cuff him."

I did. His wrists were restrained behind his back, just below his tied-back blonde braid. The boy thrashed while trying to break free. "Rot in hell!" he snapped, spitting on Pipit's boot.

"Things will only get easier if you cooperate," I whispered in his ear. The boy grumbled, glaring furiously at Pipit.

"We're going to need some information," he said. He pulled out a clipboard from a briefcase that Fledge had been carrying. "Let's start with an easy question. Name?" The boy maintained his glare.

"Sheik."

* * *

**By the way, Impa's appearance is based on her Hyrule Warriors look. Sheik is based off of his (yes, he's a dude in this story; no gender swapping at the end) Ocarina of Time look.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	3. The Evil King

**Please check out my Skyward Sword sequel story, "Zelda: Skyward Sword- The Birth of Hyrule" if you haven't already. Thanks!**

**So here's chapter three of Shadow Agent. Again, thanks for checking it out.**

**Please note that Ganondorf in this story has his Hyrule Warriors appearance.**

**Song suggestions: Ganondorf scene, Sheik scene- "The King of Light and Shadow" / Ordonia Province scene- "Forest Temple" / Misc.- "Guilty Feeling". (1, 2- Twilight Princess OST, 3- Hyrule Warriors OST)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Evil King**

1630 HOURS.

GANON'S COURT, HYRULE CASTLE.

75 DEGREES INSIDE.

Malon, Fledge, Zelda, and I stood beside the entrance to the throne room, awaiting the arrival of the remaining prodigies. King Ganondorf sat on his magnificent throne, impatiently sighing. "When will your friends bring that little rat in!?" he demanded, slamming his gauntlet-covered fists on the armrests.

Malon replied timidly, "…I believe I heard them outside the doors, Your Highness."

Ganon's throne room was more like a hall; from the large double doors to the throne was a long red carpet, and on either side torches stood, illuminating the room in an orangey glow. The lack of technology in the room gave off a medieval vibe. Perhaps he preferred it that way. His throne was made of pure gold and silver, with red cushioning on the seat, armrests, and backrest.

Funny how Ganondorf could pay for such expensive things, yet he couldn't provide plague medications for the poor provinces.

King Ganondorf's appearance was also medieval-looking. He wore thick, regal armor that kings of yore would wear, maybe to look like his ancestors. His skin tone was a mixture of smoky gray and faint green, which contrasted greatly with his thick mane of fiery red hair that hung below his shoulder blades. His red eyebrows were thick, formed into a permanent scowl above his yellow eyes, and they connected to a short beard stopping just below his chin.

They say that Ganon came from Gerudo Valley in the Lanayru Province, like Groose, but his skin tone said otherwise to me. I think he came out of a black hole from the dark world. But that's just my opinion.

Two Hylian guards stood on both sides of the throne with beam rifles at their hips. They wore bulletproof vests embellished with the Great Sword symbol and long cargo pants, as well as black boots.

The double doors swung open, causing the four of us to jump out of the way. In came Pipit and Groose, dragging Sheik by his arms into the king's court, followed by two more Hylian guards. Pipit and Groose shoved the boy to his knees on the red carpet, to which he snarled furiously.

Sheik's arms were restrained behind his back in handcuffs, and he glared furiously at Ganondorf. Though he was wise enough not to rise to his feet.

"The rat has arrived," Ganon grumbled, tapping his fingers on the throne as if he were bored.

Sheik snarled again, remaining on his knees. "Do not call me a rat!"

Ganondorf chuckled. Then he stood up from his throne, rising to his full height. He stood at seven feet tall; quite intimidating, I'd say. He took slow, heavy steps to the boy on the ground. "I like your style, boy."

Two more guards came in, dragging a similarly-restrained Impa into the throne room. The guards shoved her to the ground, where she fell flat on her face with a growl.

"Impa!" Sheik yelled, attempting to rise to his feet to go to her.

Ganon slammed Sheik's shoulder downward, keeping him from moving. "I have not given you permission to rise."

"I don't need your permission, you monster!" he retorted, grimacing at the pain in his shoulder. "Now let Impa go!"

Ganondorf growled and backhanded Sheik's face, forcing him to fall on his back. "Silence, boy! I've heard enough out of you!" Sheik growled, but the obvious pained look on his face was forcing him to shut his mouth. "Your tribe is part of the rebellion," Ganon growled. "So I think I'll keep your precious leader."

Sheik growled furiously, his red eyes stabbing into Ganondorf's.

"You! Yellow boy!" Ganondorf said, pointing to Pipit. "And green boy!" He pointed to me. "I offer you my obligatory congratulations for capturing the last prodigy. When he calms down from his state of rage, he will join you in the agency."

I knew Groose, Fledge, and Malon (especially Groose) were rather offended for not being recognized for helping this mission, but they bit their tongues from interjecting. Zelda just didn't seem to care; instead her eyes kept darting from Sheik to Impa, her expression sad.

"Yes, Your Highness," Pipit said with a nod. I didn't respond to the king. Instead I stared at Zelda, who looked very nervous the whole time being in Ganon's castle. Maybe it was because she thought the king killed her parents.

Ganondorf looked where I was looking, directly at Zelda. He chuckled maliciously. "And who might you be, blonde girl? I don't believe we've met."

Zelda's eyes darted upward to the large man. "…My name is Zelda," she said timidly.

"So you're Castle Town's elusive prodigy that none of my soldiers could catch." He shot an accusative look to the Hylian guards in the room. Zelda nodded, but she couldn't find words. "I sure hope the other prodigies talked some sense into you," Ganon continued. "Avoiding the law is punishable by death, you know." Zelda bit her bottom lip. "But we shall not kill you. We require your talents for the war against the Lorule Provinces."

Impa propped herself up on her arms, glaring furiously at the Evil King. He looked down at her with malice. "We do not work for Lorule, I say with all honesty. But we warn you: Lorule will prevail. And you…" Impa coughed up a small amount of blood. "…You will die!"

All it took was a snap of Ganondorf's fingers, and two Hylian guards silenced Impa by striking her struggling body with the backs of their rifles.

They dragged her out of the room and into the depths of the castle.

* * *

1900 HOURS.

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

Ganondorf ordered Zant to utilize the empty basement as a cell, where Sheik would reside until he swore allegiance to the king. Sheik refused, of course, so he remained in the basement of Zantland.

Sheik's room consisted of a bed, a sink, a toilet, two chairs, and a table. It was a square room at fifteen feet by fifteen feet. The elevator traveled down to the basement as well, so to prevent escape the elevator and Sheik's room were separated by a thick, steel wall, with another door leading into the cell.

I was required to travel down to Sheik's cell for questioning, according to Pipit. So I walked to the closed elevator while carrying a black briefcase, typing in the code "1986" on the keypad. Letters displayed, "ACCESS GRANTED," and the doors slid open. I walked inside, pushing the bottom button which read "B."

It took a minute to travel down from the top floor of the twenty-three story skyscraper to the underground floor, the once-vacant basement. The only floor accessible to customers was the first floor, and the password-required elevator helped enforce that rule. The remaining twenty-two (aboveground) floors were made up of cubicles, where technicians and salesmen worked the corporation, to help with things like shipping and taxes. Zant himself resided in the twenty-second floor, where he supervised his workers.

The elevator doors slid back open, and I walked out into the dark basement. I walked to the cell door, where I put my right hand up to the green handprint scanner on the door. A thin yellow line of pixels flew up, then back down, reading my palm. I released my hand when I saw words appear on the screen. "CUE CAMERAS?" it said, with two empty boxes with words "YES" and "NO" next to them. I touched the box that read, "NO."

And with that, the door unlocked, and I twisted the handle and entered the cell. Sheik sat on a chair next to a table, and across from him sat another chair. I sat in the vacant one, folding my hands on the table out in front of me. "Good afternoon, Sheik," I said.

His red eyes were locked with the table, and he refused to speak.

"I'm required to ask you some questions…" I said, pulling out a clipboard from the briefcase. I skimmed over the questions, and scoffed. "Now some of these are no-brainers. Like this one: 'Are you loyal to King Ganondorf?' How pathetic…" I didn't manage to get Sheik's attention. "I know that you aren't, so I'll just check the box that says no."

His eyes caught mine, but he didn't protest. I checked his expression for any sign of irritation or sorrow, but damn, this kid was a rock.

"Okay, next question…" I sighed impatiently. "Who are you loyal to?"

Sheik's eyes were still locked with mine, and he began tapping his fingers on the table.

"Lorule?" I asked. He still didn't respond. "The late King Daphnes?" Sheik blew air out of his nose in a meager laugh, his eyes returning to the table. I sighed, getting bored. "Do you work alone?"

Sheik looked at me again. "I don't do 'work'," he whispered forcefully. "I stayed with my tribe."

I tapped my pen against the clipboard, smirking subtly. "Okay, loyal to Impa…"

"No shit," he muttered. "You're quite the detective."

I smirked again. "Just remember who's being imprisoned…"

"It ain't me," he said sternly. "I'm not working for Ganon."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "To make things easier on ourselves, I think we need to be clear on one thing." I pushed my pointer finger onto the table, leaning forward toward Sheik. "You get to make a decision. You get to live and work for the king, or you die. Understand?"

Sheik laughed slyly. "How intimidating… You can't kill me, green guy. You need me."

I nodded. "You're right. We can't kill you." I sighed, but after a brief moment my smirk returned. "But we can kill Impa."

Sheik snarled and lunged forward, arms outstretched in attempt to choke me. I quickly pushed a button on my belt, summoning a temporary blue force field. Sheik bounced off, hissing at his burned hands. The force field faded, and I stood up from my seat, looking down at the boy.

"I believe I've struck a nerve," I said. "Answer all the next one's questions, or you won't hear from Impa again."

I exited the cell, sealing the door shut.

* * *

2020 HOURS.

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

Zelda sat cross-legged on her bed, looking at the screen of her FiPhone 7 while I stood in the kitchen, making dinner.

"How are you liking your first few days?" I asked her from across the apartment.

"Well…" She dropped her cell phone on the nightstand and sighed. "I hate it."

I looked her way, a little shocked. "Really?"

Zelda nodded. "Why are you so surprised, anyway? I thought you hate your job."

I shook my head. "No. I hate Ganondorf."

She nodded, looking down. "Oh…"

"Why do you hate the HBI?" I asked, returning some of my attention to the nearly-burning grilled cucco. I had bought it at the supermarket downtown after I left the headquarters.

"Well, of course, we're working for Ganondorf, but also because… you guys are monsters!" she exclaimed.

"What!?"

"You're all so blind! Especially Pipit! The things Ganon makes you do are horrible…" Zelda shuddered.

I thought for a moment. Every child was forced to take an exam at age eleven. If they passed, they'd be enlisted in the army. If they got a perfect score, they'd be ripped away from their homes and sent to an agency to do Ganon's dirty work while he sat on his throne.

We stole Sheik from his tribe. He was handled horribly by the soldiers; I could see the bruises and cuts on his skin when I was down in his cell. We stole Impa. The tribe back at Snowpeak was probably suffering without her. I followed Ganondorf's orders, threatening Sheik that we'd kill Impa.

I felt… evil. That wasn't me. I was supposed to be the legendary hero's descendant. The hero brought light to the world, not darkness. He wielded the blade of evil's bane, for goddesses' sake.

But I followed Ganondorf's orders. Pipit followed Ganondorf's orders. Groose, Malon, and Fledge all followed his orders.

I wasn't the evil one. Ganon was the evil king.

"It's just business," I said quietly. I didn't want her to know I had a change of heart. No, I still didn't trust her.

"Just business?" Zelda asked, standing up. She walked closer to me, up to the counter. "You're doing all of this for the money?"

I hesitated, but nodded. "Yes," I lied. I wasn't only doing it for the money. I was trying to end the plague and poverty in the poor provinces, namely Ordonia, my old home. But if Ganon found that out, I'd be in trouble. He didn't want equality, or peace, or anything good. He only wanted power.

Zelda sighed. "…I thought you were better than that." She looked down at the granite counter top.

"Well there's a lot that you don't know about me," I murmured flatly.

"Is it because you grew up in the Ordonia Province?" she asked. "All your life, you were poor, so now all you want is money?" I didn't answer. "I don't think that's it."

I looked questionably at her. "What?

"I don't think you're in it for the money. I don't know you, but I can tell you have morals… You don't just want the rupees."

I smiled and looked at her, but didn't confirm nor deny it. I handed her the plate of grilled cucco, as well as a glass of water. I set my plate next to hers, and I sat down next to her.

"So you're just going to leave me guessing?" Zelda said. I laughed quietly and began to eat my meal. She shook her head and began eating too.

"Someday I'm going to figure you out," she said.

* * *

1030 HOURS.

ORDON VILLAGE, ORDONIA PROVINCE.

59 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

We drove along the dirt path in a durable truck built specifically for missions. The truck had bulletproof windows and an impenetrable outer shell, painted camouflage. The few times trucks like this drove up to our village, I made sure to avoid them and climb back into my tree house. When those trucks drove up, everyone knew to head inside and lock their doors.

Now I was in one if those trucks, bringing fear to my own village. I wrapped a black bandana over my mouth and nose to prevent contracting the plague. If I did, I'd have to pay a thousand rupees for a medication. Not much to me nowadays, with a salary like mine, but to the Ordon villagers, a fortune.

We came to a halt in the middle of the dirt path. The driver, a simple Hylian soldier, said, "Alright, get a move on. I'll be here."

Zelda and I were the only ones going on the mission, and we sat in the back seat with a beam rifle each. She gave me a reassuring smile and opened the door, exiting the truck. I did the same.

The morning air was brisk. Though refreshing, it probably carried the plague. I walked with Zelda, our rifles at our hips. While we walked, I noticed the people peeking at us behind their windows, cowering when I looked their way. It didn't look like they recognized me with my dark HBI shades.

We kept walking around the dirt path, the ramshackle shelters bordering it on either side, twenty feet apart from each other across the road. Eventually we got to our destination, the Ordon hospital, a much bigger building. It stood about a mile away from my old house, which I made sure of to lower my chances of contracting the plague.

When Zelda and I got to the double doors of the hospital, they swung open immediately, nearly smacking me in the face. I took a step back, then viewed the person in the doorway. It was a heavyset man with a white tank. I recognized him as Ilia's father.

"Mayor Bo," I said without thinking.

He cocked his head. "How do you know my name, officer?"

"I, uh…" I didn't want anyone recognizing me because now, I was pretty sure they hated me for abandoning them. So I decided to change the subject. "We're not officers." I showed him my HBI badge attached to my dark green tunic. "We're HBI agents."

He squinted his eyes at me, then said, "How may I help you…?"

I looked at Zelda. She wasn't wearing her HBI sunglasses. She looked at me, then back at Mayor Bo. Zelda obviously didn't want to speak. "Please step out of the way so we can retrieve the plague medications," I said firmly.

Mayor Bo sighed. "We don't have any here. Apologies."

I shook my head. "Lying will only make this harder. Now please," I outstretched a hand, "return the plague medications."

He turned his head and looked behind him at the patients in the hospital, then back at me. "Again, I'm sorry-"

I pushed my way through the door, motioning for Zelda to stay put outside. Mayor Bo followed, barking, "I order you to leave! You will catch the plague if not!"

"Already been vaccinated," I muttered, fumbling through a drawer of pill bottles. Finally I came across a box obscured by a red cloth in the back of the drawer, and I withdrew the box.

"Sir, please don't do this!" Bo pleaded. "We need it more than you rich folk…"

I withdrew my sunglasses, revealing my face to Mayor Bo. "Rich folk?" I repeated.

He stood glued to the floor, eyes and mouth wide open. "…Link," he whispered.

I unbuttoned my tunic and stretched half of it out, revealing ten more vials of plague meds I had been hiding. "These here are cures," I explained. I took them out and gave them to Mayor Bo. "The ones you had were just treatments." I took the box of plague meds and walked to the door. Bo stood there, still dumbfounded, following me with his eyes. Putting my shades back over my eyes, I said firmly, "I was never here. Understand?" He nodded.

I exited the hospital and joined Zelda, who stood waiting for me. I showed her the box of vials and nodded. She nodded in reply, and we left from my old home in the military truck.

* * *

2250 HOURS.

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

Nearing eleven o'clock at night, I yawned and leaned back into my office chair. Groose, Malon, and Fledge had already left, leaving behind just me, Pipit, and Zelda. Zelda's desk was right next to mine by the east window, and Pipit's was all the way across the room in the west. We were all working on a new case ordered by Ganon, and it was to gather intel on the five undercover spies sent to the Lorule Provinces.

"They're all dead," Pipit said abruptly.

"What?" Zelda and I exclaimed, walking over to Pipit's desk. On his laptop showed blinking red dots in the Termina Province.

"Their tracking devices haven't moved since this morning. Their heart monitors haven't detected a beat since then, either." He covered his face in his hands and sighed. "Dammit."

Zelda and I shared a surprised look, but didn't speak.

"Well, I'm gonna call it a night, you two," Pipit said. "There's no point continuing this case tonight, so might as well get some shut eye."

"Okay. Bye, Pipit," I said.

Zelda watched as I returned to my desk, groaning at the messy blob of useless paperwork. She giggled subtly, returning to her desk as well. She sat in the chair and watched me attempt to organize my stuff. "What are you doing?" I asked. "You don't have to stay, you know."

Zelda nodded. "I know, I just… don't want to walk home alone."

I snorted. "It's a block away."

"I know, I know…" Zelda laughed quietly. "I've lived in Castle Town my whole life, but it's still scary to me. I don't know why."

"Because the war, maybe," I said. "You never know who to trust."

Zelda nodded, looking at the ground. "I need people to trust."

"Malon's a good person. So is Fledge. You can trust them." I closed out of all the tabs I had on my laptop and shut it.

"…Can I trust you?" she asked, biting her bottom lip.

I sighed. "…I'm going to be honest with you. You probably shouldn't. If you associate yourself with me then we both could get in trouble for my actions."

"Your actions?"

"I haven't done anything too bad… yet," I said, shaking my head.

Zelda sighed. "You're too difficult." She stood up, grabbed my hand, and said with a cute smile, "Come on, let's go home. You can clean later."

* * *

**I'm easing in to the romance for this story. I want to let Zelda have some time to figure out Link's mysterious character before I delve into the ZeLink.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	4. Tyranny

**If you haven't yet, check out my Skyward Sword sequel story, "Zelda: Skyward Sword- The Birth of Hyrule". Thanks!  
**

**Thank you all for checking out this story. And in a response to a reviewer (GamerGeo), this story might have somewhere in between 20 to 35 chapters. I will try to continue this nearly as much as, or more than, Birth of Hyrule (which is 27 chapters).**

**Also, please note that I only do "time logs" (Ex. 2300 HOURS, etc.) when the time is present. This chapter will have a backstory, so I will not have "time logs" during backstories.**

**Song suggestions: Action- "Levias Battle" (SS OST) / Backstory- "Hidden Village" (TP OST) / Drama- "Sacred Grove" (TP OST) / Casual, Misc. "Knight Academy Theme" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Tyranny**

1200 HOURS.

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

I hadn't told anyone about giving Mayor Bo the plague cures. It had only been ten vials, sure, but that was enough to cure thirty victims. A single vial costed a small fortune to purchase.

Good thing I stole them.

I had gone to the market, where people set up their own shops into tents and sell their merchandise. At the very end of the street, right next to Zantland, stood a tent guarded by soldiers. Painted on top of the white tent was a red plus symbol, and I saw several vials of green plague cures on the table. The soldiers weren't guarding the sidewalk, just the street.

So, I pulled out my FiPhone 7, which had been decked out with hacking ability and ultra-advanced technological apps, and I clicked on the HBI app. Yes, the HBI even had an app. It gave its agents amazing abilities, such as changing physical appearances for about two minutes. The technology was still new, so no one could lengthen the duration of those abilities.

I tapped the screen to change my appearance, and immediately I donned a trenchcoat with black pants and boots, with a black hat covering my new face. A faint ticking sound rang inside my head, ticking by the second. At one hundred and twenty of those ticks, I'd be back to normal. I counted them off while slowly walking to the tent, and I easily swiped ten vials unnoticed.

I remembered those events until someone knocked on my apartment door. I stood up from my bed and walked to the door. After it was opened, I saw Pipit standing in the doorway. "Hey, Link."

"Hey," I said uneasily. "What brings you here?"

"Don't know, really. I guess I'm just bored."

I mentally sighed in relief. We were given Saturdays off, and Pipit often didn't know how to relax. "Okay, well come on in," I said.

"Thanks." I shut the door when Pipit was inside. "Where's Zelda?" he asked, looking around the room.

"Is she why you came here?" I asked. Pipit shook his head. "Okay, well she and Malon are out today. Not sure where, but Malon wants to get to know her."

Pipit nodded, looking out the window. Rain pelted the roof and the streets below, and thunder boomed loudly. "A storm… That means less soldiers on the streets. More crime," he said ominously.

"You really think criminals will be out in this dreadful storm?"

Pipit sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry… It's just that I have trouble relaxing. I'm desperate for action, you know?"

I laughed and walked to the fridge, saying, "You want anything to drink?"

"Uh, a Goronade, please. Thank you."

I tossed him a red Goronade, and I took one too. We sat on the stools by the counter. "So," I began, "any progress on Sheik?"

"Not at all," Pipit said. "He answered most of my questions, but he's still a stubborn little bastard."

I nodded, taking a sip of my drink. "Can't really blame him, though. I mean, Ganondorf took Impa away."

Pipit sighed, tapping the counter with his fingers. "I guess I kinda understand… I know what it's like to be ripped away from your home."

"We all do."

Pipit looked questionably at me. "I know it was _the_ most awful place to live, but… do you ever miss Ordon Village?"

"…Yeah," I said, taking another swig of Goronade. "What about you? Do you miss living in Eldin?"

"All the time," he said. "But mostly because of one person…"

"Who?"

Pipit smiled. "Her name was Karane… She was the most perfect girl out there." His smile dropped, and he sighed. "…But then I left."

I patted his shoulder. "I'm sorry, man. Maybe you'll see her again."

He shook his head. "Doubt it…" Then he shook off his negativity and put on a forced smile. "What about you, Link? Did you have any girls back home?"

I chuckled uneasily. "Well, there was this one girl named Ilia who had a huge crush on me, but I didn't feel the same way. Then she caught the plague, so…" I shrugged.

"Any girls you like here in Castle Town?"

I shook my head.

Pipit raised his eyebrows accusingly at me. "Oh, come on. You're lying."

"No, I'm not lying, Pipit." I took a third drink of Goronade.

"I think I know."

I cocked my head questionably at him.

He chuckled. "It's Malon, isn't it?"

"What!? No!" I exclaimed, nearly losing my drink.

Pipit laughed again. "I know it isn't Malon! I was just trying to get a reaction out of you. Besides," he said, "I can tell she's in your friend zone."

I nodded. "Right."

"So… it's the blonde girl! Zelda!"

"No, Pipit." I rolled my eyes.

"Really? She seems to think highly of you," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I overheard her talking to Malon about how you are the only guy here who has good intentions." He scoffed. "Crazy, right? What about me?"

"Is that all?"

"No, she also said that your beliefs are admirable… I'm not sure what she meant by that."

So she admired my morals… She thought I was the only good guy in the agency… But Zelda barely knew me. I scratched my chin and looked down at the counter. "…Anything else?"

"No… Why? You want to know what she thinks about you, huh?" Pipit winked childishly at me.

I shook my head, almost too quickly. "No, I… really don't care."

Pipit chuckled and clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Of course you don't." He winked again, to which I rolled my eyes. "But, hey, maybe someday you two will-"

Thunder boomed, interrupting Pipit's speech. A flash of lightning illuminated my apartment. The rain began pelting harder against the roof. "The storm's really coming down!" I yelled to Pipit.

He nodded. Just then, a blue hologram appeared behind me, and I turned to see the large holographic Zant in my apartment. The Twili shook nervously, but his mask covered his expression.

"What's wrong, Zant?" I asked uneasily. Zant never really contacted us, so I knew something had gone awry.

"Agent Link! I cannot see you right now, nor Agent Pipit!" His voice boomed, drowning out the sounds of the storm. "The little rat has escaped and incapacitated several soldiers in his path." He stomped his holographic feet on the ground. "He's making his way south, but the weather conditions forced our soldiers to retreat. I need you and the other agents to go and find him, or King Ganondorf will surely kill me!"

"We're on it!" Pipit said with a salute.

"Bring that little rat back to his cell!" And with that, the hologram disappeared.

* * *

1230 HOURS.

MAIN STREET, CASTLE TOWN.

48 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

The rain poured down from the dully-colored clouds above, soaking into my green tunic and adding extra weight.

We stood at the intersection between Main Street, which ran north to south, and Argorok Avenue, which ran east to west. The six of us stood with our eyes peeled, searching in all directions for Sheik.

"Let's all just split up," Malon said. "The longer we stand around here the further away Sheik will get."

"Okay," said Pipit. "Two of you go south; Zant said he was heading that way. Probably to Lorule."

"I'll do it," I said, raising a hand.

"Me too," Zelda said. I looked questionably at her but she kept her gaze on Pipit.

"Malon, Fledge, you two go north. He may be heading back to Snowpeak. Groose, head west. I'll head east."

We all nodded and departed in different directions. If Sheik was smart, he wouldn't stick to Main Street. It was a clear, open street that ran for two miles downhill. From the top of the hill where we were standing, he'd be easily spotted. So Zelda and I made sure to check the alleys in between the buildings lining Main Street. Our blasters were set to stun, not kill.

Without wearing her shades, Zelda wore a black jumpsuit with a standard tactical belt, straying from her usual style, the white dress. A _tight_ black jumpsuit. I tried not to look anywhere but the streets and alleys while she was jogging in front of me. My green tunic was perfect for missions; it had a bulletproof vest underneath, a tactical belt with advanced Hylian technology and gadgets, such as a temporary force field and walkie talkie attached to the shoulder.

Speaking of which, my walkie talkie buzzed. "Guys!" yelled Groose's voice. "I'm picking up a signal! Sheik has a Hylian blaster!"

Hylian blasters could detect the fingerprints that touched them and send a tracking signal to soldiers equipped with holographic maps. The maps could be activated at any time with the push of a button on our tactical belts.

"Sheik's heading south, but he's not on the streets!"

"Above the streets!?" I repeated to Zelda.

"Well, at least we're heading in the right direction."

I tapped a blue button on my belt, opening up a holographic map on the insides of my sunglasses. My green dot blinked, and I ordered the map, "Show me Sheik." A blue dot appeared several hundred feet south of where we were, and it was located in the middle of the squares that marked the Castle Town buildings. "Withdraw." The map disappeared. A light bulb went off in my head. "He's traveling by rooftop!" I exclaimed to Zelda. I tapped my shoulder and activated the walkie talkie, telling the other agents, "We're in pursuit."

Zelda looked over to an average-sized building and pointed. "Let's climb up that one," she said.

"Why climb when you can do this?" I asked with a light laugh. Before she could question me, I wrapped my arm around her waist and tapped the screen of my FiPhone that read, "TELEPORT."

Teleporting had just been invented a year ago, and of course the technology was still new. So, we agents had to wait ten minutes before repeating the action.

Zelda yelped as we reappeared on the rooftop, her eyes wide. On her cheeks was a faint blush, probably from when I "hugged" her. She said with a nervous shake of her head, "Never do that again!"

"Come on!" We dashed southward, leaping across the seven-foot gaps in between the buildings. Every building was nothing in comparison to the skyscraper Zantland, each standing at nearly seventy feet tall, but being atop the roofs instilled a fear factor in the both of us.

Eventually Sheik's figure came into view. When a hundred feet separated us, I pulled out my blaster. He must've heard the beeping sound of it activating because he turned around and looked at me through his turban and mask. In his hand was some sort of instrument, a blue one.

Then he just stopped, and he put the instrument to his mouth. As I got closer I saw that it was an ocarina. He played a mystical tune, and I wasn't able to catch up to him before the Song of Storms released its magic upon the city.

The rain had been bad, the thunder had been loud, and the clouds had been dark. Now the rain pelted harder against the rooftops, the deafening boom of the thunder became louder, and the clouds became a smoky gray, almost black. And then came lightning.

Sheik laughed, remaining on his rooftop. I kept running, leaping off a roof and landing one roof away from my target. Zelda attempted to follow, and when I looked back, she slipped on the puddles forming on the roof as she jumped. She screamed as she only managed to grip the edges of the roof I was on. "Link!" she yelled desperately.

"Zelda! Hold on!" I dashed over to her, ignoring Sheik for the moment. I grabbed Zelda's arms with my own, pulling with all my might. Her upper body slowly dragged upward toward the top of the roof, and after a brief struggle she was lying in safety. "Stay here," I ordered, and I dashed toward the fleeing Sheik.

He was only four rooftops away, and I was much faster. Three rooftops.

Two rooftops.

One.

I lunged forward, tackling Sheik to the surface. We landed hard on the concrete. He growled and rolled over onto his back, swinging his fist and striking me across the cheek. I recoiled, giving him the space to get back up. I wiped off the blood forming at my cheek and pulled out my blaster, aiming for Sheik's chest. He performed a front flip and kicked my gun away. I watched it bounce off the edge of the roof, falling down to the alley for thieves to pick up. I grit my teeth as he got into fighting stance, dropping the blue ocarina to the ground. I mimicked his with mine, which I was taught at orientation at age fifteen.

"You'll be following your gun," he snarled.

He performed a sweep kick at my ankles, to which I hopped over easily. I jammed my heel into the crook of his knee after his spin, to which he wailed painfully. Sheik growled and swung for my face, which I deflected and performed an uppercut. Sheik's head dodged left and he grabbed my arm, twisting it in attempt to break it. I felt my shoulder pop slightly out of socket and I let out an angry growl. I brought my knee up to Sheik's groin, and he cowered low to the ground in agony. I followed up with a knee to his face. Sheik fell hard onto his back, and I finished the fight with a stomp to the ribcage.

He lay there, breathing heavily, clutching his injuries. I cuffed him and he didn't make an attempt to stop me. Then I connected a chain from his ankle to a jutting-out pipe to prevent, though unlikely, attempts at escape.

I tapped my walkie talkie and told my fellow agents, "I've got him. Come here."

I turned around to see Zelda on the same rooftop, her expression sad. I had told her to remain back there, yet here she was. I was expecting sympathy towards Sheik.

But instead she ran up to me and hugged me tightly.

I was startled. I didn't know why I did it, but I wrapped my arms around her too.

* * *

1700 HOURS.

ZANTLAND BASEMENT, CASTLE TOWN.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

Even underground, I could still hear the sound of the rain and thunder. I sat at the table across from Sheik. "Were you heading to Lorule?" I asked, tapping my pen on the clipboard.

He smirked in response.

"The more unanswered questions, the less food Impa will get every day."

Sheik's upper lip quivered as he frowned. "I was."

"Why?"

"Don't know, exactly." His frown dropped to an expressionless stare.

"Who is your tribe loyal to?"

"Impa."

"Other than her."

He tapped his fingers on the table. "No one anymore."

"Were you once loyal to the late King Daphnes?"

"Impa was mostly."

"How so?" I asked, jotting down his answers.

"She was the princess's royal guard."

"Daphnes didn't have a daughter," I argued.

"The queen was eight months pregnant. Then Ganondorf took over, and no one has heard from them since. This all happened years ago, according to Impa." His monotonous voice gave an ominous connotation to the tale, but deep down I knew it was true.

"Why are you, not the tribe, but _you_, so loyal to Impa? It seems like you care the most." That question didn't come from the clipboard. I was curious.

"That's personal." His red eyes fell to his lap. I just waited for him to answer. "…Okay, fine. My parents… died shortly after I was born. I was a stranded orphan left in the middle of the Snowpeak Province, and Impa took me in as he child. She's… my guardian."

"I'm sorry," I said without hesitation. "…Next question, what the hell is up with that ocarina you were using?"

Sheik sneered.

"Where did you get it?"

"I took it," he said bluntly.

"From where?"

"The first floor. It was in a glass case, and no one was guarding it."

That was true. Zant had given everyone the day off because of the storm. "When you played that song," I said, recalling the tune of the Song of Storms in my head, "the storm became worse… Why is that?"

His sneer deepened. "The ocarina is magical. Ever heard of the legend?"

I nodded, the tale of the Hero of Time resurfacing within the depths of my brain. Then my eyes widened slightly, and Sheik managed to take notice, chuckling. "…That's the one," I said quietly.

Sheik nodded. "Even though it slowed you down, magic doesn't help anyone anymore these days."

That was dead true. The only useful things were technology. "How did Zant get ahold of the ocarina?"

"Zant found the ocarina in Hyrule Castle while he was helping Ganondorf conquer Daphnes's kingdom."

"Wait, wait," I said. "Zant didn't fight…" Sheik raised his eyebrows at me. "Or… did he?"

Sheik sighed. "They say ignorance is bliss…" His lips curved into a humored smile. "You could lose your job- or _life__-_\- if you knew the whole story."

I remained silent, waiting for a followup statement.

"Luckily, I'm not like the rest of you. I haven't been manipulated by the king. I know the truth. That's the real reason I'm down here in this cell, not because I'm a rebel."

I put the clipboard and pen on the desk to show that I wasn't going to write any of this down. Luckily I had disabled the cameras.

Sheik chuckled. "Get comfortable, green one. This story's a bitch to tell."

* * *

Ganondorf and his two generals, Zant and Ghirahim, flew over the kingdom's magnificent castle just outside of Castle Town. The man yearned for domination every time he laid his eyes on the structure. Inside the helicopter, piloted by General Ghirahim, ten more rogues sat, armed with sniper rifles and machine guns.

_ Ghirahim, a gray-skinned creep from the Eldin Province, was often found verbally abusing the people in his village. Sentenced to a year in prison for death threats, Ghirahim was taken out of his home by police. And then came Ganondorf, a muscular, dark green-skinned Gerudo. He leapt into action and incapacitated the guards, knocking them out before they knew what hit them. Ever since then, Ghirahim became loyal to his savior, Ganondorf._

_Zant was a different story. As previously noted, no one knew how Zant emerged from the Twilight Realm and into the world of light. Well, how was he freed? The answer: Ganondorf._

_As a duo, Ghirahim and Ganondorf managed to avoid the law, traveling the provinces and searching for the ancient relics the incarnations of the great evil had once used. They hoped those relics would help Ganon overthrow the king and take Hyrule as his own. Then one warm day in the Lanayru Province, the two of them stumbled upon Ganondorf's old home, Gerudo Desert. After trekking through the barren wasteland while avoiding any contact with other humans, a large structure came into view: Arbiter's Grounds. A legend once told of the portal to the Twilight Realm lived at the very top of that tower. But when they got there, the Mirror of Twilight had been shattered to pieces. But at the very moment Ganondorf picked up a shard of the mirror, it glowed brightly. As if sensing the darkness within the man, every shard formed together into the Mirror of Twilight. Suddenly, a figure popped out of the portal. Zant, a tall Twili wearing a black robe with intricate green patterns embellishing it, stood up suddenly. Zant also wore a large helmet, which masked his entire face and pointed up at the top. The Twili laughed maniacally and destroyed the mirror with his bare arms._

_"Now I'll never have to go back!" he yelled. Ever since being freed from the Twilight Realm, Zant became loyal to Ganondorf as well._

Back then the Lorule Provinces didn't even exist; there was no need for a rebellion under Daphnes's rule. There was no plague; anyone who even got sick was given proper care. But none of that mattered to Ganon.

It wasn't that he wanted to change the king's principles of ruling, though Ganon disagreed with most. The evil man didn't want safety for the citizens, he didn't want equality among them. Nay, Ganondorf simply wanted power.

The helicopter swerved left as a police drone took flight from a tower at the castle. General Ghirahim attempted to fly behind one of Castle Town's tall buildings to hide from the drone, but the helicopter's lethargy proved no match for the self-piloted vehicle's speed. The drone, a small jet-shaped vehicle equipped with automatic missile defense, scanned the rogues' vehicle for any weaponry. The drone let out a beeping noise as it deployed missiles, heading straight for the unauthorized machine.

Ganondorf, who had been watching from the cockpit, leapt up and opened the door.

"Sir!" Ghirahim protested. "You'll fall!"

Ganondorf didn't listen. Instead he pulled off the machine gun, which was strapped over his shoulder, over the black bulletproof vest. The man took aim for the two missiles heading their way, spraying bullets left and right in a sweeping motion. Onlookers below screamed in terror as the missiles exploded in midair.

Triumphantly, Ganon turned back to Ghirahim with a smirk. "Sir!" Ghirahim yelled again. "One more is coming this way!"

Ganondorf grunted angrily and turned back to the opening of the helicopter door. He let out a powerful yell, the sound reverberating against the walls of the city, and jumped. The large missile changed course and began flying straight at Ganon, who was pumping his legs and arms through the air. When the missile got close enough, Ganondorf let out another yell as he swung his leg with amazing force. The missile spun in the air until it straightened out, and it flew backwards and into the drone. As the drone exploded, Ganondorf pulled the string on his vest, releasing the parachute when he was only fifty feet from the streets of Castle Town.

He landed hard feet first on the ground, bending his knees and grunting in minor pain. Ganondorf looked up to see the wreckage of the drone fall to the ground and clank on the sidewalk. The onlookers shook in fear as they stared at the man in the street. Ganondorf sneered and flicked his hand away. The pedestrians departed within two seconds.

General Ghirahim had landed the helicopter safely on a roof of a building and exited the vehicle. He, Zant, and the other ten rogues stood at the edge of the building, then jumped. They pulled their parachuted and floated down to the street unscathed.

"Come on," Ganondorf growled. "We're continuing on foot."

They fought their way through the depths of the castle, easily mowing down the Hylian soldiers, until they arrived at the double doors leading into the throne room. Ganondorf kicked the doors open, and the thirteen rogues filed into the throne room.

But the king and queen were already gone.

* * *

1730 HOURS.

ZANTLAND BASEMENT, CASTLE TOWN.

67 DEGREES INSIDE.

"They were already gone!?" I repeated in disbelief. Sheik nodded. "Then that means… they could still be alive!"

"Them, and their daughter."

I scratched my hair, beginning to get a headache. "Who could that be?"

"No one knows. Probably not even her." He sighed. "But remember, most of the memories of the royal family have vanished. The legends have been forgotten. That's the way Ganondorf wants it; he wants us to have no knowledge of the heroes and how they defeated every single one of Ganondorf's ancestors."

"How do you know all of this?"

"…Impa," he said. "Ganon doesn't know that she was affiliated with the royal family. She escaped just in time."

"Does she know where the king and queen are?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No. She speculated, though. Either they fled to the Lorule Provinces, or they're dead."

I sighed. This was a lot to take in. I had one question to answer, but Sheik would not be able to answer it: who should I be working for? I was never a diehard loyalist to King Ganondorf, but if Sheik's story were true, my entire view on the kingdom would change. Except… this wasn't the real kingdom. This was the tyranny of Ganondorf. The real kingdom had King Daphnes at the throne.

…Did I just answer my question?

"Hey, guy," Sheik said, waving a hand in my face. "You've been staring off into space for awhile now."

I snapped out of my thoughts. "So, was this why you were fleeing to Lorule? To find the king?"

Sheik nodded. "It's always been Impa's number one goal. She told me that if I could dedicate my life to anything, returning peace to Hyrule should be it."

A deep memory emerged from my head. Rusl, a man from Ordon Village, had often taken care of me while I was a toddler. And he had said those exact words to me.

"Look, guy," Sheik said, "I know it's impossible, but I need to get out of this place."

I had to be cautious; a plan was already forming in my mind, and letting Sheik in on it could screw the whole plan up. Therefore, I didn't tell him what was on my mind.

_'Me too,'_ I thought.

* * *

**Well, I hoped you liked this chapter. I'm trying to give Ganondorf a ruthless/badass style. Also, I hope the backstory gave you an idea about this AU's history.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	5. Double Agent

**If** **you**** haven't already, please check out my Skyward Sword sequel story, "Zelda: Skyward Sword- The Birth of Hyrule." Thanks!**

**The chapter title "Double Agent" is an actual term for an agent who works for one side, but in truth is loyal to the other.**

**Song suggestions: Backstory- "Goddess Mission" (SS OST) / Drama- "Sacred Grove" (TP OST) and "Forest Temple" (TP OST).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Double Agent**

2300 HOURS.

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

I was exhausted. After everyone else had left the agency, I delved into the depths of the laptops, trying to find out any information about Lorule that I could.

Specifically, directions to get there.

I had found nothing. So I returned home unsuccessful at eleven o'clock at night, plopping down on my bed. My eyes drifted to the other side of the dark room, at Zelda's bed. Her _empty_ bed.

I swung my knees over the edge of my bed and surveyed the apartment. No sign of her. The room was illuminated slightly by the slow opening of the apartment door, and Zelda crept in. She couldn't see me; it was very dark. She flipped on the light switch and jumped at the sight of me directly in front of her.

"How was your trip?" I asked accusingly.

She put a hand to her reddening face. "Link, you said you wouldn't be home by now…"

"Well here I am."

She didn't respond.

"Where did you go?"

Still no answer.

I sighed, scratching the back of my head. "Listen, Zelda, I am in the middle of something big right now. So I don't-"

"Okay, I'll tell you," she stated softly.

* * *

"You see, class" said Zelda's teacher, Mr. Ingo, "the legends of old are mostly forgotten. Mainly because of the fact that there cannot be another green-clad hero to rise anew and wield the Master Sword." He paused, looking at the class of thirty-eight, located in Castle Town's orphanage, in the outskirts of the bustling city.

A girl raised her hand. "Are you saying that no one can save us from Ganondorf?"

"Egad!" Ingo shrieked in horror. "Save us!? Have you no idea about our ruler, the great King Ganondorf? …He is our savior! He has laid out guidelines for peaceful living among the social classes. The only saving we need is from Lorule's tyranny!"

"But-" the girl protested.

"No!" Ingo yelled. "You shall see me after class! Keep up your blasphemous remarks, and you'll be locked up, I tell you!"

The girl fought back the urge to cry.

Ingo went on. "As I was saying, the legends of old are not to be forgotten. We must take notice how our savoir, King Ganondorf, has eradicated his ancestors' evil pasts… Now he strives for our salvation from the rebellion."

A boy a year older than Zelda raised his hand. "But isn't the legendary hero's descendant working in the HBI?"

Zelda didn't know why, but that intrigued her. She noticed the sleeve of her pink sweater was falling down a bit, revealing her perfect 900 tattoo. Quickly she rolled her sleeve down, obscuring it from view.

It was a little ironic, Zelda had thought, that the hero's descendant was working for the one he was destined to smite. She blew air out of her nose in a quiet, meager laugh. Zelda hoped she wouldn't have to be dragged away from her only childhood home and work for that creep of a king.

"Hmm… That rumor is going around," Ingo said. "I'm not completely sure, but if it be true, it shows how great of a ruler Ganondorf is. Even the hero is on his side."

Maybe he was just planning something…? Zelda honestly didn't know. But what she did know was that someone needed to get rid of Ganondorf.

"Now, everyone please turn to page three hundred and fifty." The class did as Mr. Ingo told. "Please read the page."

Zelda let out a subtle groan as she rested her chin on her propped-up arm, her eyes lazily drifting over the text.

_"For countless generations, a hero clad in green withdrew the Master Sword from its pedestal and slew the incarnation of evil, saving Hyrule for the time being. However, every hundred years or so, the evil, the hero, and the maiden of Hylia's bloodline are reincarnated in an endless cycle, set upon them by the Demon King, Demise. As time wore on, use of magic and swords came to a gradual decline. This led to the birth of technology. And as the evil birthed this generation's King Ganondorf, everyone realized they had been telling the legends wrong. Ganondorf, Hyrule's salvation, had only been attempting to save the kingdom in the centuries before today. The so-called hero viewed this as greed and attempted domination. As time wore on and the need for the Master Sword came to a halt, everyone understood that the true hero was our savoir and great ruler, King Ganondorf."_

Zelda mentally scoffed at the textbook. She was one of the few who knew that Ganondorf was evil, and he hadn't been Hyrule's salvation, but its downfall. However, she remained reticent, or she'd be in prison.

The bell rang, and Zelda was dismissed from class. She exited Mr. Ingo's large classroom and made her way to the stairs, climbing up three flights. After she arrived on the fourth floor, Zelda walked to the fifth door on the left, unlocked it, and went inside her dorm.

Castle Town's orphanage was more like an academy, since it offered more than just hospitality. Each child was given education, but only from one teacher. That was Mr. Ingo, the diehard loyalist to the king. Zelda never liked Ingo. An annoying thing about him was that he never admitted that he was wrong. But what really drove Zelda crazy was Ingo's incredibly large mustache, which made him resemble the green plumber from that video game she couldn't remember the title of.

Zelda sighed, dropped her backpack on the floor, and fell onto her bed in the corner of her small dorm room. It was mid afternoon, but she was exhausted. She shut her eyes, savoring the blissful feeling of rest.

Her FiPhone 7 beeped on the table.

Zelda ignored it, rolling onto her side. She breathed in the warm summer air that flew in through her open window.

It beeped again.

Zelda groaned and sat up, snatching her phone from the end table. She unlocked the screen with a fingerprint scanner and checked the notification. Two new text messages from an unknown number. "Hey!" read the first one. "You're Zelda, right?" read the next.

Zelda groaned and rolled her eyes. It was probably just another guy from the orphanage trying to hit on her. She never liked any boys there, not just because they weren't attractive, but also because they were rude and made offensive remarks to her. Not mean words, but pick up lines. She debated whether or not she wanted to reply to the mystery person, but then she made up her mind.

Her fingers tapped against the screen, typing, "Yes."

She waited a minute for the reply. When a rupee jingle sounded, she read the new message. "It's me, Hilda!"

Hilda… Zelda's eyes widened. She hadn't seen her blue-haired friend in years. Hilda had been in the orphanage as well, but she disappeared one day for an unknown reason. Zelda thought she had gotten into trouble with the law, or died, but apparently she was okay. Zelda quickly tapped a reply. "Where are you?"

The words and letters in the next message came in code. It read:_ .foor eht no m'I_

Zelda translated it to:_ I'm on the roof. _Hilda only texted in code when she was worried that she'd get into trouble for texting such words. After all, every text was sent up to the server located in Castle Town, and detectives could read anything if they felt suspicious. Zelda knew something was wrong.

She replied:_ .pu gnimoc m'I_

(_I'm coming up._)

Zelda pocketed her phone and snatched up her handbag, which she took everywhere in case of danger. Not that she expected danger, of course. But it couldn't hurt to be cautious.

Zelda stayed on her floor, opening up the window at the end of the hall. She and Hilda had often traveled up to the roof as children, so the path was easy. She slid her back across the wall, stepping carefully along the ledge. She tried not to look down at the alley below; she had always been terrified of the four-story fall. At the end of the ledge, Zelda grabbed on to a long pipe and climbed upwards slowly, until she finally pulled herself up to the roof.

Hilda stood overlooking the streets, her blue hair flowing in the wind. The Castle Town skyline, decorated with many skyscrapers, stood miles away from the orphanage. Hilda turned around, her red eyes filled with sorrow.

"It is you," Zelda said, running up to embrace her old friend. They hugged for awhile, then let go. "You look so different…" Hilda had developed into a young woman, quite different from the ten-year-old that was locked in Zelda's memory.

"You, as well," Hilda said, a tiny smile forming at her lips. Oddly, she wore a regal lavender dress with gold armor over her breasts. Hilda seemed to notice Zelda eyeing her suspiciously, and said, "You must be wondering where I have been all these seven years."

"Y-yeah, kinda," Zelda said meekly. Hilda's voice now contained a powerful, commanding tone, which differed greatly from the squeaky vocals of ten-year-old Hilda.

"I-" Hilda was cut short by the sight of Zelda's left forearm. Her red eyes grew wide as she stared at the 900 tattoo. "…You work for the HBI?" she demanded.

"What!?" Zelda realized her tattoo was showing, and quickly covered it with her sleeve. "No, no! Hilda, you don't understand! I don't-"

"Silence!" Hilda boomed, causing Zelda to cower in fear. "As children, we have sworn- _sworn_\- to oppose the evil king! Does that mean nothing to you now!?"

Zelda gained some confidence and stood up straight. "I do _not_ work for the king, Hilda!" she retorted. Hilda maintained her glare. "You saw this," she pointed to her arm, "and automatically thought I was an agent!? Come on, Hilda! You know I don't break promises!"

Hilda sighed, closing her eyes. "Then why do you have that tattoo?" she said softly and accusingly.

"Because I got a perfect score on my exam," she said. "But I've been avoiding the soldiers since then."

After quite a while of silence, Hilda, to Zelda's surprise, wrapped Zelda into a tight hug. "I am deeply sorry, old friend," she stated. "Oh, how I've missed you…"

After Hilda released her, Zelda asked, "Where have you been?"

Hilda looked left and right, as if they had visitors on the rooftop, and whispered with a smirk, "Lorule."

Zelda gasped and stepped backwards. "What are you doing here, then!?" she demanded in a loud whisper.

"We're recruiting someone," she said. "He works for the HBI."

"If he works for the HBI, then why would you think he'd be willing to-" Zelda was cut short by her memory of school that day.

The hero's descendant worked for the HBI.

She looked back at Hilda with wide eyes.

"You seem to be familiar with the boy," Hilda said. "Do you know him?"

Zelda shook her head. "No… but I've heard the rumor that he's the hero's descendant."

"It is no rumor. He knows it, and we know it. Lorule- which is the _real_ Hyrule- has the records." Hilda clapped a hand on Zelda's shoulder. "I have not come here to see you, unfortunately, but to recruit the boy."

Zelda nodded sadly. "Okay… It was good seeing you, Hilda."

Before Zelda could walk away, Hilda stopped her. "Zelda, wait. You say you aced your exams?" Zelda nodded in reply. "Then I've got a plan."

Zelda cocked her head. "What plan?"

"You enter the HBI… befriend the boy, and convince him to fulfill his destiny. Get him to join our ranks, for we will need him to save this world."

Zelda bit her bottom lip "…I don't know, Hilda."

"I'm not going to lie, it could be very dangerous. But if you're up for it, just say the word."

"…I'm in."

* * *

2340 HOURS.

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

"So when you first met me," I said quietly, "you actually knew who I was?"

Zelda nodded slowly, sitting down next to me on my bed. "…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been hiding this from you."

"…So where were you tonight?"

"Didn't I answer that?"

I shook my head.

"Oh… well, every other month, Hilda and a friend of hers come back to Castle Town, and we meet in that exact spot… On the roof of the orphanage." Zelda played with an end of her blonde hair nervously, awaiting my reply.

I couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked right then and there. I mentally slapped myself, trying to regain focus. "This Hilda girl… is she Lorule's leader?"

"If you're going to try and capture her then I'm not-"

I cut her off. "I'm done working for Ganon."

Zelda's eyes grew wide and she blinked at me. "…R-really?"

I nodded, placing my hand on hers softly. "I'm tired of it."

Zelda's eyes dropped down to my hand, but she made no attempt to move hers. "Well, um… to answer your question, no, she isn't… And I don't know who is."

"She didn't tell you?"

"She _wouldn't_ tell me," Zelda corrected. She sighed. "…By the way, it's my fault your hand was burned."

"What!?" I asked, remembering the hologram incident.

"They sent that hologram over to you because I told them where we live."

"So when it took the picture of me and said, 'Now we know who to look for,' Lorule wasn't targeting me?"

"No… Again, I'm sorry. I should have told you."

"Goddesses, Zelda…" I withdrew my hand from hers and scratched my head. "If you told me sooner, I would've already been gone."

Zelda smiled and said, "So you're on our side?"

I nodded. "Yes." I grabbed her hand and pulled her up from the bed. "Let's go."

Zelda stumbled a little on the way up, regained her balance, and realized she stood inches from my face. She looked into my eyes with her bright blues, her cheeks turning pink. "Wait," she said softly.

I didn't move my face away from or toward hers. She didn't either. I wanted more than anything to kiss her lips, despite the tiny voice that told me not to. But I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"…We don't have to leave," Zelda said in the same soft tone.

I didn't respond. What was Zelda getting at?

Zelda's lustful look turned into a bright smile, and she stepped away from me. "Every time I met with Hilda, I had given her information about Hyrule." I raised my eyebrows at her, but she went on. "We could keep doing that. We can be Hyrulean agents by day, but Lorulean agents by night. We'll be doing Lorule's work within the kingdom, and Ganon won't know what even hit him!"

Damn, this girl was smart. I wished she hadn't pulled away from my embrace, though. "That's… a great plan," I said, truthfully astonished.

Zelda smiled and giddily ran up to me, wrapping her arms around my back in a tight hug. I hugged her as well, the nice-smelling aroma of her blonde locks wafting up to my nose.

"Let's wait until tomorrow, though," I said, yawning. "I'm exhausted."

Zelda giggled, then we both went to our beds and fell asleep.

* * *

1300 HOURS.

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

65 DEGREES INSIDE.

My head spun. I had a lot of problems to deal with. I was contemplating if Zelda's story was true. I wondered if I should trust her. And finally, I wondered if I had feelings for Zelda.

Truthfully, I didn't know… For any of those three.

I sat at my desk, twiddling my thumbs, when Pipit stormed over to me. "Get up," he said sternly.

I eyed him. "Why?"

"You." He pointed a finger at Zelda, who sat at the desk behind mine. Her eyebrows raised and she shot me a nervous glance. "You and Link come with me."

I slowly stood up from my chair, motioning for Zelda to follow. "Stay behind me," I whispered. She nodded.

The three of us walked into the elevator, and Pipit waited until it shut to speak to us. "There are two Loruleans lurking in Castle Town."

I didn't realize I had been holding my breath. I released it in a long, relieved sigh. "…More?" I inquired, trying to act normally.

Pipit nodded. "Yes. We have been getting reports of suspicious activity in the outskirts of the city. Two suspects, a male and female, are involved."

"…What kind of suspicious activity?" Zelda asked meekly.

Pipit pushed the button that read "1" and the elevator began to descend. "Disappearances of soldiers, and there have been three raids at military storage departments. They stole crates of ammunition and batteries that charge our blasters, but we fear this was no act of thievery. At each raid site, a triangle was spray painted onto the ground- one was red, one was green, and the last was blue."

"Din, Farore, and Nayru," I said. "The Triforce."

"Lorule," Zelda finished.

Pipit nodded. "I'm sending you there, Zelda, because you are the most familiar with the area, since you grew up there. And Link, here," he clapped a hand on my shoulder approvingly, "is our best agent. So don't worry about your safety."

That was the first time Pipit complimented my work, even though it was indirect. I smiled uneasily, thinking to myself,_ 'Do not jump to conclusions, Pipit. Someday you will change your mind.'_

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. Pipit led the way out into the first floor of Zantland, and he told us he'd meet us outside the revolving doors. The large room was bustling with customers; most of which were oodling over the Goddess Harp, which was set out on display in the window.

"Dang it!" shrieked the technician, who stood atop a ladder. He poked at a security camera with a screwdriver, shouting to another technician, "The storm caused all of these cameras to be disabled!"

"What an idiot," I muttered to Zelda. "Now everyone who heard that will steal stuff."

A cluster of girls were standing in the boutique section, looking at the green, blue, red, and purple tunics that my ancestors wore, along with the matching caps. Their eyes shot quickly from me to the tunics, then back to me, and they gasped in realization. A girl with orange pigtails blushed a bit, then decided to walk up to me. I didn't notice her until she tapped shyly on my shoulder. "Um, Hi… Are you… Link?"

I eyed her. She was fairly attractive, but not as gorgeous as Zelda. Her orange hair was covered by a round, light-green hat, and she wore a matching dress. Brown boots with heels made her a bit taller than Zelda, but still shorter than me.

…Why was I comparing her to Zelda?

"Uh, yes," I said. I felt Zelda walk closer to me, and she stood next to me while viewing the girl.

The girl giggled and blushed a bit, then said, "I knew it was you! …You're the hero, aren't you?"

Zelda inched closer to me again, but not enough to make me notice. The girl kept her gaze on me and didn't bother acknowledging Zelda. "Well, not exactly," I said. "I'm his descendant."

Finally the girl noticed Zelda, and asked, "Oh, I'm sorry… Are you his girlfriend?"

Flustered, Zelda's cheeks turned red and she shook her head violently. "N-no! I'm not…"

The girl smiled and returned her attention to me. "I'm Karane. It's nice to meet you, Link."

"K-Karane?" I exclaimed, taking a step back from the girl.

Confused, she said uneasily, "Yes… What's wrong?"

Pipit burst in the revolving doors, obviously impatient with our procrastination. "Link, Zelda, what is the-" He stopped in his tracks when Karane turned around, and his eyes grew wide.

"Pipit…" she said softly.

Pipit couldn't find words. His mouth agape in shock, he trotted up to Karane and caught her in a tight embrace. Finally, he found his voice. "What are you doing here?"

"…I moved here. My mother got a job downtown."

Somehow I found Zelda's hand with mine. She smiled up at me, but I didn't notice. Instead I was transfixed by the reunition.

Pipit had just found his happiness, and it made my heart ache for what I was about to do.

* * *

1350 HOURS.

SKULLTULLA STREET, SOUTH CASTLE TOWN.

62 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Pipit decided to stay behind. He said that we'd be able to get the job done on our own, but I knew he just wanted to catch up with Karane. Before we left, however, I decided to take advantage of the broken security cameras and snatch the Ocarina of Time, the instrument Sheik had used to worsen the storm.

Skulltulla Street was probably the least magnificent location in the entire magnificence of Castle Town. It could be considered ghetto, but it was not nearly as bad as Ordon Village's squalid conditions. The street was bustling, like every other street in Castle Town, so we had difficulty making our way through the crowd at a quick pace. We finally arrived at one of the storage departments, and the entrance from the sidewalk was blocked off by yellow tape that read: POLICE LINE. DO NOT CROSS.

I crossed it. Zelda followed. "Hey, hey, hey!" yelled a soldier with a blaster. He pointed the weapon at us. "Scram! Don't pretend like you can't read that!"

I stepped forward, pointing forcefully at the breast of my tunic, at the HBI letters. "Don't pretend like you can't read _this_."

Zelda giggled subtly and also pointed at her HBI emblem, which was just above her breasts. She was wearing her tight black jumpsuit again, which made her look incredibly sexy. The soldier eyed Zelda, and I noticed his eyes lingering on her in a perverted fashion.

"Quit staring," I said angrily. "She's seventeen, you jackass."

The soldier glared furiously at me, then walked off. I knelt down to the pavement before the ransacked building, viewing the red triangle. After awhile I stood back up, discovering nothing new.

Before we could depart to the next location, Zelda grabbed my arm. "Link, wait…"

"Hmm?" I asked, facing her.

"Can we… go up to the roof?" she asked timidly.

We didn't have Hylian blasters, so the other agents wouldn't know where we were. Plus, I'd get to spend some time with Zelda, aside from working. And I was quite tired, so a little rest wouldn't hurt.

I nodded. "Sure."

We headed across the street to Zelda's old home. I thought about pulling out my FiPhone and teleporting with it, but I quickly dismissed that idea when I remembered how she hated it the first time. So I followed Zelda into the alley, where the pedestrians and soldiers couldn't see us. She found a pipe, which ran from the ground all the way to the roof. She began to shimmy up, and once there was enough space between her and the ground, I followed her.

Soon we arrived at the top of the roof, and Zelda sat at the edge, propping her back up against the orphanage's sign. I sat next to her. Zelda breathed in the air contentedly, the nostalgia of her old home rushing back to her. I smiled at her and put my hand on hers. Zelda opened her eyes and looked at me with a beautiful smile, a cute blush appearing at her cheeks. Despite her shyness, she put her arm around me and leaned her head on my shoulder.

I still barely knew her, but I was already falling for her.

After a long while of peace, a figure hopped onto our roof. I leapt upwards, withdrawing a simple pistol in defense. I relaxed when I saw the girl raise her unarmed hands, and I noticed her blue hair. It was Hilda, Zelda's childhood friend.

"Easy, boy," Hilda said calmly.

Zelda stood up and smiled at Hilda. "Look who I've got here, Hills," she teased.

"Ah, you are the hero's descendant." Hilda smiled slightly and brushed back a lock of navy blue hair. She turned her head to the roof where she had come from, and the three of us were joined by a boy our age.

He landed hard on the roof, and he gripped his knees in minor pain. He grunted, then stood up. He was tall, taller than me, and wore a simple purple T-shirt and cargo pants, held up by a brown belt with a green rupee embedded in it. Under his shirt were white sleeves and a bulletproof vest, making his chest thick. A blue and black striped scarf hung around his neck and over his back. His brown boots matched his gauntlets. Shaggy, dark purple hair was revealed when he withdrew an odd, rabbit-shaped hat, complete with ears and blue eyes.

This guy looked almost exactly like me.

"Hey," said the boy in a voice identical to mine. "I'm Ravio." He pulled out a flying blue creature from his pocket. "This is Sheerow."

My eyebrows furrowed. This guy looked like me, and I just noticed that Hilda looked nearly identical to Zelda facially. I was genuinely freaked out.

"I see you've brought the boy Rupin had seen," Ravio said to Zelda. He walked up to me and extended his hand. I stared blankly at it for a brief moment before shaking it. "It's good that you're finally on our side."

I nodded slowly in reply.

Hilda peered out over the city, standing on her toes to see over the billboard. The pedestrians had parted, and soldiers were working on cleaning up the spray paint. "The ammunition has been transported to Lorule," she explained to me and Zelda.

"It seems that the soldiers in this area are out of ammo and energy," observed Ravio. "I can see their empty clips. The blasters have a red light emitting from the barrel, meaning the batteries are nearly depleted."

"Good," said Hilda. "Now we can initiate phase two."

"Phase two?" I repeated, eyeing Zelda nervously.

"We will explain our plan to you in due time, boy. For now, we must depart for Lorule." Hilda began to walk away.

"Um, Hilda," Zelda said. She stopped and turned to look at her blonde friend. "We're staying in Hyrule."

Ravio put the rabbit hood back on and cocked his head. "…Pardon?"

"We're staying here," I said. "Zelda and I can't just disappear. We're going to work for Lorule while staying within the kingdom."

"Are you certain?" Hilda inquired. "Doing so shall prove to be a dangerous task."

"I'm sure."

Hilda nodded. "Very well. We look forward to your contributions."

And with that, Hilda and Ravio departed. We watched their figures get smaller and smaller as they traveled by rooftop, getting further into the outskirts of Castle Town.

We watched until they disappeared.

* * *

**I bet you're wondering why Hilda is on Link and Zelda's side, since she betrayed them in A Link Between Worlds. But as a little sneak peek, prepare for something similar to happen in this story.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	6. The Demon General

**Thanks for the reviews/follows/favorites!**

**Song suggestions: Action- "Levias Battle" (SS OST) or "Hidden Village" (TP OST) / Drama- "Sacred Grove" (TP OST) or "Forest Temple" (TP OST) / Ghirahim- "Ghirahim's Theme" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Demon General**

1930 HOURS.

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

66 DEGREES INSIDE.

The sun was about to set behind the buildings that made up Castle Town's horizon, painting the sky in a rich orange hue. As the streets below began to darken, more people retreated indoors to their apartments for a good night's rest; meanwhile the night owls were departing from their homes to walk the streets, basking in the city lights. After all, Castle Town was most glorious at night.

I sat in my chair, wishing now more than ever that I'd get some sort of action. I had been sedentary for too long, sitting at my desk and refraining from doing anything productive.

Every now and then Pipit urged me to keep working on an investigation I was assigned, which dealt with disappearances in Kakariko Village in the Eldin Province up north. I was reluctant, however, for I was exhausted; the whole night before I stayed awake in my bed, debating whether or not I should go through with helping Lorule. So every time Pipit walked by, I would type worthless junk on a word processor until he left.

At midday Karane had stopped by to take Pipit to lunch; at that point the agents and I at the office stood around and chatted for an hour.

I was a great employee.

Every day since learning the truth about Ganondorf, I slowly and gradually disliked my job even more. Truthfully, I wanted to bolt out of the headquarters and head to Lorule.

And, of course, I'd take Zelda.

It had taken a lot of thinking, but I finally realized my true feelings for her. As each day passed I grew to like more things about her… The subtle dimple on her cheek when she smiles brightly at me, her beautiful singing voice when she sings the Ballad of the Goddess, her ability to play the harp… And of course, the fact that she was gorgeous. Gorgeous, beautiful, hot, sexy.

_'Goddesses, if Zelda knew what I was thinking right now she'd slap me… Would she? …Yes.'_

I mentally slapped myself to rid my mind of my inappropriate thoughts. I had to deal with more pressing matters at the moment, such as a plan to screw up Hyrule somehow without being caught.

I had nothing.

My FiPhone buzzed in my lap. "Master," said Fi, the FiPhone's personal assistant made for the customer, "You have a text message from Ravio." I quickly snatched my phone and turned the volume down to vibrate, but thankfully no one heard Fi's robotic, monotonous voice. I opened the messaging application and read Ravio's text.

It read: .ereh su teem owt uoy dna ,uoy htiw emoc ot adureZ lleT .ecnivorP nidlE eht ta era ew ,ukniR

(Rinku, we are at the Eldin Province. Tell Zeruda to come with you, and you two meet us here.)

Rinku was my code name, for we didn't want my name mentioned. Zeruda was Zelda's code name. Both names translated into our original Hylian names, but the language our code names originated from had been long forgotten.

I replied: .ruoh na ni ereht uoy teem lliw eW

(We will meet you there in an hour.)

I looked left and right, noticing my fellow agents' eyes locked with their laptop screens. I looked behind me at Zelda, and caught her eye. My eyes darted from hers to the elevator, and I gestured subtly with my head in that direction. She seemed to understand; she nodded, closing her laptop.

But we couldn't just leave the headquarters; they'd be suspicious. I frantically thought for a solution.

My eyes swept over the streets below, and I spotted a fight between two commoners. A crowd surrounded them, cheering the men on. I stood up, saying quite loudly, "There's a fight below."

Groose scoffed, leaning back in his chair and smoothing out his red pompadour. "Yeah, so?"

"So," I said, "I'm gonna go check it out. It could turn into a riot."

"Doubt it," said Fledge timidly. "But hey, it couldn't hurt to go investigate."

"Guess not," Pipit said. "How does it look?"

"Not good," I said, keeping my eyes on the streets below. "I might need company… Zelda?"

The blonde girl stood up. "Sure."

Normally I wouldn't go down to the streets and stop a fight. They didn't last too long, after all. But today, I needed that excuse to get out of the agency. I grabbed Zelda's hand gently and gave her a reassuring nod of the head, and we walked to the elevator. I didn't bother taking my microphone or blaster, so no one could find our location or hear a conversation.

"Link," Malon said, "Bring your rifle_-_-"

The elevator doors shut, and we descended from the top floor. I withdrew my pistol from my waist and loaded it with eight bullets from my tactical belt, throwing on my sunglasses as well. Pistols were not as accurate as blasters, since they didn't have the homing ability, nor were they as powerful. But I always carried one just in case my blaster ran out of battery power.

"Load your gun," I told Zelda.

"I… don't have one," she said quietly.

I looked at her through my dark shades. "You'll need one, and soon. If we are to_-_-" I cut myself off, looking at the surveillance camera in the corner of the elevator. "…Get into a fight, you'll need to be able to defend yourself."

Zelda smiled. "I think I can defend myself pretty well."

I raised my eyebrows at her with a small, teasing smile.

"How do you think I survived walking the streets of Castle Town? I had to deal with thieves, rapists, and drug addicts." She smiled slyly at me.

"Pepper spray?" I guessed with a light chuckle.

Zelda giggled, then looked up at the camera. She shook her head at me, and I understood she planned to tell me once we were in private.

We came to an abrupt halt, and the doors slid open to reveal the first floor. The dark room was deprived of customers and employees; closing time was at seven o'clock on weekdays. I walked to the exit, placing my hand on a palm scanner. Once it recognized my identity, the security system unlocked the door and we exited. As soon as the door shut again, the door clicked as it locked again.

Once we felt the fresh air fill or lungs, Zelda smiled at me. "Okay, here, I'll show you."

I watched as Zelda's hands produced a sparkling flash of energy, and a popping sound occurred. She smiled brightly at me as i stared in bewilderment. "What did you just do?"

She giggled lightly and pointed to a can on the sidewalk, saying, "Look there." I watched as the aluminum can levitated in midair.

"You can do magic!?"

"Yep," she said, still smiling. "Ever since I was a little girl I've been able to preform minor feats. I cannot interfere with the human mind, though, so there are limitations."

I shook my head in utter bewilderment. "Oh my goddesses, a magician? The only other known magician in all of Hyrule is Ganondorf himself!"

"Yes, and I'm not too picky about hiding it from these people," she said. "It's how I scare them away, frankly."

I laughed lightly and smiled. "That's… amazing."

"I'm hoping it'll help us somehow against our enemy," she said softly.

I sighed. "Magic is virtually useless these days. I don't mean to rain on your parade, but that's the way it is now. There's no use for the Master Sword, or any sword actually. Technology is our only weapon."

Zelda nodded. Then her eyes widened. "We have to stop that fight!"

"Dammit, I nearly forgot," I said, making my way to the center of the street.

A crowd of thirty surrounded two fighters and blocked passersby from driving through the street. There was a twenty car backup, with each honking their car horns impatiently. Greedy taxi drivers snickered as their passengers' fees increased as time wore on.

I shoved my way through the crowd, making sure not to let go of Zelda's hand. A couple of perverted men whistled at the sight of Zelda's attractiveness, and I sent warning glares in their direction. When we got to the front row, the two fighters happened to be a man in his twenties wrapped in a purple cloak, and a teenaged boy.

A _Sheikah_ teenaged boy, adorned with a gray turban, mask, and a dark blue tunic with the blood red eye symbol covering the chest and abdomen. His blonde hair was braided back, hanging just below his shoulder blades.

Sheik.

How did he escape the basement of Zantland? I'd have to find out.

The man with the dark purple cloak had red eyes, long gray hair that resembled the style of General Ghirahim's, but much longer, and a pair of tall red boots. His belt was golden with the Great Sword symbol engraved in the middle, with abundant spare bullets attached to it. A scar rested just below the man's eye, the one that was not obscured by hair. His skin was sickly pale, a very light lavender hue.

I had trouble remembering who this guy was, but I knew he had some importance to Ganon. Though his appearance seemed feminine, I knew he'd be a dangerous threat.

I stepped behind Sheik and gripped his shoulders with my hands. He snarled and whipped his head around to see, and he gasped when he saw me. "You!?" he yelled over the commotion.

I looked at the man in the cloak, who was glaring fiercely at me. "An HBI agent, it appears!" said the man. "Remove your hands from my opponent's shoulders immediately! No one interrupts my fights!"

"Well, sorry, sir," I said, "but we're returning this guy to his cell."

Sheik glowered furiously at me. "I will not go back there," he said forcefully through clenched teeth.

I whispered into his ear, "Run. I can take this guy. Meet me in Eldin." Sheik's eyes widened and he returned his gaze to the man. I gave him my attention as well. "Who are you?"

The crowd around me laughed, as did the man. He flipped his hair with his gloved hand, smirking devilishly at me. "You don't know who I am? Ah, you agents are so ignorant… I am Vaati_-_\- _General_ Vaati."

"_General Vaati?_" I mouthed to Zelda. She shrugged in reply.

Vaati stepped forward and shoved Sheik out of my grasp, jabbing a finger in my chest. "Know your place, weakling!" he boomed. "Do not bother the upper classes, or you will be punished… severely."

I growled, standing up straighter, locking my shaded eyes with his reds. "You can't do anything to me. Ganon would have your head if you hurt his prodigies." I turned to Zelda and smirked. "That is, if you _could_ hurt the prodigies." Hopefully I was buying enough time.

"Try me." Vaati's eyes diverted to the crowd, and they widened. "…Wait, where's the boy!? _The boy_!" I turned around and grabbed Zelda's hand, leading her out of the crowd and into an alley. "It's because of you, green one!" Vaati howled, unable to pursue either me or Sheik. We had both disappeared from Vaati's sight.

But I had a feeling that I'd meet up with that mysterious guy again.

We fled to an alley which lead to another street leading north. At the end of the alley, Zelda and I stopped to catch our breath. She kept looking backward for any pursuers. "Sheik may meet us in Eldin," I told her.

"But the Eldin Province is way up north," she argued, turning to face me. "Sheik will probably want to go to Lorule down south."

I nodded. "True, but if he does come to meet us, he'll have easy access to Lorule."

Zelda sighed and looked back again. "The crowd has departed. Everyone in the headquarters will be able to see and wonder where we are. They might come looking for us."

"Them, or Vaati."

Zelda nodded, grabbing my hand. "Let's go; maybe we could take a cab."

The street consisted of yellow blurs whizzing by, so we'd have no trouble finding a taxi. I waved my hand up to signal the taxi driver, and he pulled over on the edge of the road.

I opened the door, holding it for Zelda to enter it first. She offered me a small smile and got in first, and I followed her. When the door was shut, I told the driver, "Kakariko Village, please."

"The Eldin Province? Sir," said the guy, "that be quite a ways away from 'ere. We're looking at an hour at least."

I bit my bottom lip. An hour drive would cost about two hundred rupees… enough to buy a cheap assault rifle, which I may had needed, since Hylian blasters had tracking devices on them. I had a pouch full of a thousand rupees, but the bank had the rest of my money, which I may lose for being disloyal to the king.

I nodded finally, repeating, "Kakariko Village, please."

The taxi driver shook his head, muttering, "It's your wallet."

Normally city dwellers didn't take cabs outside of Castle Town, but since I didn't own any other form of transportation, and since I didn't want to walk, I did so anyway. I looked over at Zelda and smiled reassuringly at her.

She smiled back, then shivered subtly. I guessed she was cold. I took her hand in mine, rubbing her smooth skin gently with my fingers.

Somehow during the trip we managed to fall asleep. When the cab came to a brief halt, my eyes snapped open, and the sky was dark and filled with stars. My arms were wrapped around Zelda, who was leaning her entire upper body on mine, her head on my shoulder. Her hands were also wrapped around me, and her golden hair was sprawled out over my shoulder, the mystifying aroma wafting up to my nose.

She looked up at me, blushing furiously. She quickly retracted her arms and upper body from me, sitting back up in her seat. I did the same, trying to avoid the inevitable awkwardness.

"Mornin'," said the taxi driver. "We've arrived."

I grunted subtly and rubbed my eyes. "Thank you… How much?"

"Four hundred and fifty," said the guy with a smirk.

"What!?" I exclaimed. "How long were we driving?"

"Just 'bout two hours."

"You greedy bastard," I said. "You said it'd only take an hour!"

"We ran into some troubles." I growled and paid the guy the exact amount. "Thank'ee, sir," he said. "…No tip, eh?"

"Nope."

Zelda and I exited the cab and it drove south down the dusty road, toward Castle Town.

Kakariko Village consisted of average-sized homes, a hot spring, and plenty of shrubbery. The paved road ended at the village's entrance, where it shifted to dust and dirt. Towering over the village was the menacing Eldin Volcano- or Death Mountain, as the Gorons preferred to call it.

"Come on," I said, starting down the road. "Maybe we can find Hilda and Ravio."

Zelda coughed and wiped the dust off her black jumpsuit.

"Hey!" shouted a voice.

I immediately hopped in front of Zelda and looked left and right, searching for danger. But all I could see was a heavyset man trotting up to me. He was pale, had a thick white mustache on his lip, and wore a blue vest, which revealed too much chest hair. His belt held up various tools_-_\- a carpenter.

When he reached us, he gasped for breath and hunched over his knees. "There's… a girl and… a boy…"

"Speak, sir," I said.

The man caught his breath. "Two young people_-_\- captured! A boy and girl, both had dark hair… They need help!"

Zelda and I looked at each other wide-eyed. I turned back to the man. "Where were they taken?"

"To Death Mountain!" he shouted. "They could be in danger! The man who took them is evil, I tell you!"

"We've got to go," I told Zelda. She nodded and we ran through the village.

* * *

2240 HOURS.

DEATH MOUNTAIN, ELDIN PROVINCE.

89 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

It was nearly eleven o'clock, but it was still scalding hot. The magma within the volcano emanated, and it made me start to sweat.

We had been gone for nearly three hours. The agents were surely wondering where we were. I'd have to come up with an excuse_-_\- and a good one, at that.

But that was the least of my worries at the moment. I was more concerned about saving Ravio and Hilda.

After trekking uphill for about ten minutes, Zelda and I came upon a dark cave with a sign that read "GORON CITY" hanging above it. I looked at Zelda and shrugged. She repeated the motion, and we walked into the dark cave.

It was dark. Very dark. I tried to use my FiPhone as a flashlight, but it was completely deprived of battery life. I muttered a curse under my breath and kept walking. We didn't have any light source, so our best option was to walk straight and let our feet take us through the cave.

Eventually an orangey light came into view, and as we kept walking toward it the cave became brighter. Torches lined the walls, finally offering bright light. The cave opened up to the interior of Death Mountain, and I gasped.

Twenty Gorons_-_\- huge, brown creatures whom I've never seen before_-_\- were all clustered together in a large, iron bound cage. There was a spiraling path that lead down from where I was standing to the bottom, where the Gorons were being held captive. The mountain walls were embellished with tapestries with the Hylian Crest portrayed in gold paint. In the heart of the uncivilized city stood a large marble statue of the Goron chief, whom I was told was named Darunia.

"They're trapped!" Zelda said. "We have to help them!"

"Not yet," I cautioned. I grabbed her hand and started down the spiraling path. "We've got to be careful; this could be a trap."

"We _are_ trapped!" shouted a Goron. "Please, help!"

"Who did this to you?" I asked.

"Uh… a man, I think! Maybe a demon."

"Describe him."

"Tall… white hair… red cloak. Please, brother, free us!"

I sighed and examined the cage for a lock of some sort, but there weren't any. The iron bars wouldn't budge when I tried to shift them, and there seemed to be no way to free the Gorons.

When I looked to my left, I saw the iron bars melting at the hands of Zelda. She turned and smiled at me, then resumed her work. I blinked, dismayed, and stood back to watch. The bars melted away rather quickly, the black easily turning to red to yellow to white, then disappearing. Finally Zelda melted away five bars, offering the Gorons a large enough hole to escape from.

The twenty of them filed out one by one, and they danced happily once they were freed. I walked to Zelda and smiled at her. "That's amazing."

"Can't do that with technology, can you?" she asked teasingly.

"Maybe with a flamethrower."

Zelda giggled cutely.

I turned and asked the same Goron, "Why were you locked up?"

"Our chief, Darunia, tried to stop the man from escape. The man punched Darunia square in the chest, and he rolled all the way out of the city and down the mountain!"

"Where did your captor flee to?"

The Goron lowered his eyes and sighed. "He had two youngsters, brother. I fear for their safety; they've been taken to Dodongo's Cavern."

"Dammit," I muttered under my breath. Dodongo's cavern, according to legend, was the most dangerous place in the Eldin Province. "We'll save the two of them, and we'll make sure your chief is alright."

"Thank you, brother."

"How do we get to the cavern?" Zelda asked.

The Goron pointed to a cave directly below the one we entered in. "Go through there, but be sure to bring some light. It gets dark."

* * *

2300 HOURS.

DODONGO'S CAVERN, ELDIN PROVINCE.

96 DEGREES INSIDE.

My shirt was drenched in sweat. The extra layers on my skin didn't help, either. As we neared a rickety bridge across a pit of lava, Zelda squeezed my hand tightly. "I… don't want to cross it," she whispered.

I nodded and pulled out my FiPhone, and despite the heat, hugged Zelda close to me. We teleported across the bridge to the other end, landing on an outcropping with a steel door behind us. I felt dizzy; teleporting always did that to me, and the heat only made it worse. I stood up slowly, staggering, until I regained balance. I helped Zelda up the same way, and with no other place to go, we pushed the steel door open.

We emerged in a round chamber, and the air was a bit cooler. There were no lava pits, so I wouldn't need to worry about where I walked. At first I thought the chamber was empty, and when I stepped forward, a flash of red and white diamonds appeared from thin air, forming into a figure of a man.

"Oh, how _delightful_!" he said in a mocking tone. "It's you!" The man's visible eye was caked in black and purple makeup; the other was obscured by his long white hair. His skin was a pale gray, and he wore a tight white shirt and pants, which were thankfully covered by his red cloak. He wore white boots and matching gloves, and his gold belt held something shiny in the middle. Attached to his belt were two knives, two chrome pistols, and a grenade.

This was General Ghirahim.

"General," I said with fake respect and a nod.

"Oh, shut your goddess-forsaken trap!" he yelled, his eyes widening in fury. "I know you are a traitor; you're the hero's descendant, after all! But my master doesn't believe me!" He snarled and clutched his fists together, swinging them down as he spoke with rage. "Do you know how that makes me feel? Furious! Outraged! Sick with anger!" Ghirahim disappeared into diamonds.

Zelda inched closer to me and clutched my arm in fear, shaking.

He reappeared behind us, placing one gloved hand on Zelda's shoulder and one hand on mine. Zelda shrieked quietly and I froze up, the man's eyes boring deep into my soul. "Listen up, boy, and listen well. I know the truth. I know you're working for those wretched brats I captured." He licked his white lips with a snake-like tongue, sneering. "It seems that we've used you up."

_'Used me up?'_ I thought.

Ghirahim disappeared again, reappearing ten feet in front of us. "We have no more use for you_-_\- what good is a traitor?" He laughed maniacally, raising his arms as if absorbing the sun. "I cannot kill you, or my master will be angry. Instead, I shall deafen you two with the sounds of your own screams!"

I never thought I would fight one of Ganondorf's generals. I never wanted to. But now, I didn't have a choice.

I whipped out my pistol as Ghirahim withdrew his two chrome guns. He fired three rounds in each gun, and I summoned a force field around myself and Zelda. The bullets bounced off harmlessly. I disabled my force field, but used most of my tactical belt's energy to maintain Zelda's. I ran forward, firing two rounds. Ghirahim deflected them with his gloved forearms; they were definitely bulletproof. When I got closer enough I leapt upward, firing a bullet straight down at the general's skull. He snarled and evaded the bullet, performing a sweep kick. His foot smacked my pistol, and it skidded out of my grasp many yards away.

"Ah, it wouldn't be so fun if it weren't a fair fight." Ghirahim chuckled and dropped his two chrome guns, kicking them away. He withdrew his two knives, which were black and glowing red at the tips.

I growled and pulled out a small serrated dagger from the back of my belt. I gripped the black handle tightly, and the knives' demonic red glow reflected off the dagger's glossy sheen.

We ran at each other, weapons in hand. Ghirahim attempted to stab at my dominant arm, but I retracted it, spun, and sliced diagonally. My blade grazed his shoulder, and he howled as black blood oozed out of his wound.

_'Black blood? This guy's a demon!'_

Ghirahim snarled and licked his lips, swinging horizontally in either direction with both knives. A hot pain emerged in my chest as I felt the knife's cool edge slash at me. I grunted in pain as my tunic was soaked with warm blood.

I grit my teeth as Ghirahim teleported away, back a few yards. He smiled maniacally and laughed. I let out an agonizing cry as my right fist turned golden and illuminated the chamber in heavenly light, hurling the dagger straight at my opponent.

Ghirahim yelped in agony, looking down in fury at the black hilt sticking out of his left shoulder. He gripped the handle and with a grunt, yanked it out. "You wretched brat!"

As the black sludge oozed slowly out of his two wounds, General Ghirahim dissipated into red and white diamonds.

The shiny gold object that was on his belt fell to the floor.

He was gone, but not for good.

I clutched my chest in pain, falling down to one knee. Zelda ran over to me and yelled things I couldn't hear. And somehow I saw Ravio and Hilda_-_\- and even _Sheik-_\- looking down at me with their dark red eyes.

Zelda held my hand as I was dragged back to Goron City on a gurney, and a smile formed at my lips before I blacked out.

* * *

**Goron City takes its Ocarina of Time appearance in this story, but the large cauldron in the center is replaced with a statue of Darunia.**

**I've been focusing on action lately, but romance is on the way. Don't fret.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	7. Conundrums

**Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites, guys and gals! I truly appreciate everything.**

**Apologies if I haven't been able to update as quickly as before. I've been getting tons of homework lately in addition to sports. I'll try my best to keep this story up and running.**

**Oh, and I've finally gave this story a cover art. Yes, I own it.**

**Song suggestions: Beginning- "Temple of Hylia" (SS OST) / History backstory- "Goddess Mission" (SS OST) / Death Mountain- "Death Mountain" (TP OST) / Drama- "Sacred Grove" (TP OST) and "Forest Temple" (TP OST).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Conundrums**

0332 HOURS.

GORON CITY, ELDIN PROVINCE.

79 DEGREES INSIDE.

I awoke to a mystifying tune. My crusty eyes slowly opened, and a gray blur in front of me slowly became more detailed as I focused.

Sheik knelt before me, his eyes closed as his fingers swiftly switched between the holes of the Ocarina of Time, playing different notes. After the song ended, I felt a great pressure lift off my cut chest. "Ah, you're awake," Sheik said, stone-faced.

I gritted my teeth as I sat up, propping myself against my arms. I was laying on the warm ground of Goron City, and though the gash in my chest seemed to feel better, my head spun violently. I remembered passing out the night before, and Sheik actually was worried about me. Why? Why did he even come to Eldin in the first place?

"My chest… feels better," I grunted. "…How did you do it?"

Sheik only snorted quietly, then gestured to the blue instrument by lifting it up slightly. "I found this in your pants pocket. Apparently you've taken it from me, yeah?"

I rolled my eyes. "You knocked my blaster off the edge of that roof; let's call it even."

Sheik snorted again, more loudly this time. "I did you a favor. If you still had that blaster on you, they'd know you were here; you'd already be in prison."

I rolled my eyes again, but didn't persist.

"Tell you what," he said. "I'll give it to you, but only after you learn all the useful songs it can play. Deal?"

"Useful songs? Like what?"

"Like the one I just healed you with."

I shrugged. "Fine. Deal." A thought came to mind as I searched the area for my allies. It was empty, even of Gorons. "Wait, where is Zelda?"

"The blonde girl?" I nodded impatiently at Sheik. "She and the two Loruleans are escorting the Goron Chief back up the mountain," he said. "I've heard he's injured a bit, but he will heal."

I sighed in relief, grateful that she was okay.

Sheik stifled a chuckle. "You seem to care about her a lot." I looked at him, but didn't confirm nor deny it. He went on. "She cares about you too."

My eyebrows raised, despite my attempts to keep them at bay.

Sheik chuckled again. "Yeah. She was sitting next to your unconscious body here for at least two hours. I even saw her cry."

She _cried_? She cared for me?

Sheik waved off our previous topic. "With all romance aside, now that were '_allies_,'" he said with exaggerated air quotes, "I need to know your name."

He didn't know my name? I guess I'd never told him. "Link," I said with a nod.

He nodded back. "I'm assuming you've already learned mine. Anyway, that song you heard me play was called the Song of Healing. It does exactly what you'd think it does: healing."

"Do I have to be a magician to use the ocarina?"

"No. The instrument holds its own magic within itself."

I sighed. Magic was _dead_. There was no use for me to learn this. Technology did everything for us. "What about that other song, the Song of Storms? How'd that go?"

Sheik laughed. "I'd rather not create a massive storm cloud within Goron City."

_'You can do that!? Right out of thin air, make a storm cloud!? But we're in the middle of a volcano!'_ I thought.

Sheik seemed to notice my baffled expression and smirked. "We should get started on learning these songs," he said.

I nodded and listened to Sheik play low notes on the ocarina, switching back and forth between low and semi-low notes. When he finished, he raised his head. "That was the Bolero of Fire."

I looked around for any signs of change. When I couldn't find anything different, I looked back at Sheik, confused. "What does it do?"

"It warps you to Death Mountain. But since we're already here, it has no effect."

"Why would I need to warp when I can teleport?"

"For teleporting, I'm pretty sure that there's a distance limit; whereas with the ocarina, you'll be able to warp from any given distance." Sheik handed me the ocarina after wiping the mouthpiece off with his sleeve. "Now play, Agent Link."

After numerous attempts to learn how to play the ocarina, I had finally learned the Song of Storms, Song of Healing, and Bolero of Fire. Sheik insisted that I only played half of the Song of Storms so I wouldn't trigger it's effects. I tucked the instrument into my pants pocket, satisfied with the day's work.

"When will I learn the other warping songs?" I asked Sheik.

He stood up and stretched his arms over his head. "There's a catch to warping: if you learn the Minuet of Forest, you'd have to have been to Faron Woods to be able to warp there. The same goes for the other songs and places you'll be able to warp to."

I nodded, stood up, and turned my head to see a large Goron stomp into the city, clutching his black eye. The creature had a large belly and pectoral muscles, and his arms and legs were thick with muscle. His mouth was curved into a permanent frown, and his eyebrows furrowed deep into his round purple eyes. Surrounding his thick head were pale spikes, and more of the same spread down his back and around his chin in a rock-hard beard. The majority of his back was obscured by a shell, made of dark brown rocks that seemed virtually impenetrable. No doubt, this Goron was the chief, Darunia.

Hilda and Ravio came scurrying behind him, their foreheads creased with worry. And behind them came a familiar blonde girl, Zelda. I smiled upon seeing her beautiful face, and when she noticed I was awake her bright smile lit up the darkness of the cave she was walking through.

She ditched Hilda, Ravio, and the chief to trot over to me, and I did the same. I was actually going to stop in front of her, but Zelda tackled me into a tight hug. I laughed awkwardly and hugged her back.

"You're back," I said after she pulled away.

Zelda rolled her eyes. "You're awake!" she exclaimed enthusiastically.

"I wasn't unconscious for too long, you know." I smiled gratefully for her concern.

She grazed my arm with her hand and rubbed it a little. "It felt like forever…" she whispered softly. I could tell she didn't want me to hear it, but I did anyway. Immediately my cheeks turned a little pink, and I tried to subdue my embarrassment.

Zelda averted her eyes and turned to the trio behind her. Darunia's thick legs stomped over to the center of the mountain, followed by Hilda and Ravio. "Ugh…" moaned the Goron chief. He surveyed the area with a quick sweep, taking notice of only me and my friends. "…Where is that demon!?"

I remembered that General Ghirahim had disappeared, but I wasn't sure if that was the case; my head was still swimming. I looked at Zelda for an answer. "Gone," she told Darunia.

"How?"

Zelda put on a tiny smile and looked at me. "Link fought him off."

I looked up at Darunia's purple eyes, nodding. "So," said the chief, "did you kill him?"

"Negative," interjected Ravio. "Lorule's files indicate that Ghirahim is a prodigious warrior for the king. Surely he has not perished."

Hilda nodded at Ravio's statement. "Correct. We also can confirm that the general's presence is no longer detectable. He must have somehow transported himself away from this mountain."

"Big words," Darunia grumbled. "Please, speak Hylian."

I sighed. "He's alive, but gone."

Darunia nodded. "Thank you, brother." Then he smiled and patted my back forcefully. "I shall call you _brother_ from now on. You, brother, are our ally."

I smiled at the praise, despite the pain he was inflicting to my back, and I nodded in the chief's direction. Ravio stepped toward me and placed a pale hand on my shoulder. "You, Zelda, and your friend come with us. We have some explaining to do."

I watched Ravio and Hilda walk back through the tunnel they came into, and out of the mountain. I caught a glimpse, though, of something hanging around Ravio's neck.

A necklace.

At the end of it was some sort of shard of gold. This confused me; Ravio had never worn a necklace before.

I shrugged it off and gave Darunia a quick farewell, then headed out of the city with Zelda and Sheik.

Back outside, the sun was just now rising over the distant skyline of Castle Town. I figured it was around 0500 hours. Ravio was standing next to Hilda while overlooking the horizon, his back next to the three of us. My lookalike had a sniper rifle strapped across his robed back. Sheik stayed back a few feet while Zelda and I stepped towards the Loruleans; I figured he didn't trust them yet, or perhaps he was feeling uneasy while Ravio had a weapon.

Ravio turned around slowly, and his red eyes seemed to shine when they locked with my blues. He withdrew the odd necklace from below his chin, holding it out in front of him for everyone to see. The gold object was dangling from the chain, rocking back and forth in a mesmerizing manner. "This shard was in General Ghirahim's possession."

I nodded impatiently; I already knew this information.

"I will explain it's significance in a short while. For now, I assume you have questions as to our whereabouts during your arrival to Kakariko." Ravio's rabbit-shaped hood hung behind his dark purple hair, the ears flopping on his shoulder blades. He smoothed back his shaggy hair, then turned to Hilda.

The girl's golden breastplate reflected the light of dawn. Hilda's smooth voice proceeded to inform us. "After our meeting with you two in the outskirts of Castle Town, we proceeded with our journey back to Lorule. At the borderline between Castle Town and the Ordonia Province, a convoy of military trucks sped past us. At the wheel of the head truck was none other than General Ghirahim."

I looked at Zelda, and she looked back at me with a confused expression. I returned my gaze to Hilda as she continued.

"The tucks were traveling eastward. Since we knew Ghirahim had the shard, we followed him through the Faron Province, along the Zora River in the Lake Province, around the Snowpeak mountains, and finally to Eldin."

Why would they follow Hylian authorities? Were they _trying_ to get captured?

Ravio spoke this time. "We decided to ambush him, but we couldn't take down such a prodigious officer while he had backup. So…" Ravio tapped the barrel of the sniper rifle strapped on his back. "I took out the wheels of the trucks. Before Ghirahim even noticed his companions were missing, he was far out of reach from help. He finally figured it out at Kakariko Village, where he stopped and exited the vehicle. Hilda and I ambushed him, but he… incapacitated us. We lost our weapons, and he took us to Death Mountain to die."

"Why didn't he kill you right away?" I asked. "Why take you to the mountain?"

Ravio sighed, tapping his foot in thought. "The most reasonable answer would be that Ghirahim could be convicted of murder; we had no evidence that we were Lorulean, aside from our identities. So when the kingdom is informed of our deaths, Ghirahim could say that we simply had fallen into the lava; that is, if he couldn't convince the king that we're Lorulean."

_'Beefy answer,'_ I thought. I pretended that I couldn't see Zelda staring at me; if I caught her eye, I would have blushed. I eased my tension when Zelda looked back at Hilda and Ravio.

"When we entered the mountain, Ghirahim trapped the Gorons in a cage, then fought off the chief. He took us through Dodongo's Cavern, and… I don't remember what happened next. Apparently we had lost consciousness. The next thing I remember was seeing the shard fall to the ground, and soon, it was joined by you."

When Ravio finished, I sighed heavily. The entirety of our situation was becoming overwhelming. I had already made enemies with one of the king's top commanders. I only had a matter of time before Ganondorf turned on me as well.

"Now," Hilda said, interrupting my thoughts, "it's time that we told you about the significance of the shard."

* * *

_During the reign of King Daphnes, people often regarded the royal family as one that held great wisdom. Which, of course, was true… literally.  
_

_Decades ago, the Sacred Realm, the home of the Golden Goddesses and the Triforce, was disturbed by the knowledge of evil's return. Upon gaining this knowledge, the goddesses split the Triforce into three- Power, Wisdom, and Courage. This way, the evil's form could not complete the Triforce and obtain world domination._

_As a gift from the goddesses, the Hylian royal family was given the Triforce of Wisdom, a small golden triangle the size of the palm of your hand. Generations upon generations went by, and the chosen one to wield the goddesses' gift had not arrived. But all the same, the king always kept it guarded by his top soldiers._

_Daphnes was no different. He himself had attempted to wield the Triforce of Wisdom, and while the golden triangle emanated much more light than before at his touch, he was not the chosen one. The king wondered why its phosphorescence had suddenly increased. To this day, no one knew why._

_Years later on one tragic day, Hyrule Castle was under siege by Ganondorf. Daphnes ordered his wife to destroy the Triforce of Wisdom so the evil man could not obtain it. The mission was successful, but unfortunately, the queen had been killed directly after shattering the goddesses' gift._

_The Triforce of Wisdom was split into eight shards, and they scattered across the land of Hyrule. Seven flew to different locations in Hyrule, one in each province, but one flew very far south- to what is now known as Lorule._

* * *

0542 HOURS.

DEATH MOUNTAIN, ELDIN PROVINCE.

86 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

"So," Sheik, who had been awfully quiet, said, "Ghirahim had Eldin's shard, yeah?"

Hilda nodded. "Affirmative. I assume that another general, specifically Zant, is in possession of another shard. I suggest you take him down, Agent Link." She looked at me with intense red eyes.

I took a step back. I had to kill Zant? And why did Hilda direct the order at _me_? And why was _she_ giving me orders? I looked at Zelda with a pained expression, and she matched it with one of her own.

"Before you do, though," said Ravio with a determined smirk, the first sign of emotion I'd seen from him all day, "take this." He tossed me the necklace with the Triforce shard attached to it. "Protect it well, Agents Link and Zelda."

* * *

1240 HOURS.

ROOM 9B, ANJU APARTMENTS, CASTLE TOWN.

64 DEGREES INSIDE.

I sat on my couch across from the flat screen TV, listening to the dull hum of the news. Thankfully, it was still the weekend, so I didn't have to go to the headquarters. It gave me time to relax.

Speaking of relaxing, Zelda had fallen asleep with her head on my lap. I smiled pleasantly, stroking her blonde hair with my left hand. I didn't want to wake her up; after all, we had been through a lot this weekend. Running and climbing up Death Mountain, fighting off a demon general, meeting huge creatures called Gorons, sweating in the humid air of the volcano, and a long cab ride home. Just a typical Saturday.

I was so lost in Zelda's beauty (No, it wasn't weird that I was looking at her.) that I nearly missed something important on the news. I turned up the volume a few notches and listened intently.

"…A scuffle on Main Street in Castle Town yesterday between one of King Ganondorf's generals and the rogue prodigy from the Snowpeak Province. Before anyone could get hurt, a passerby stepped in and broke up the fight. The rogue prodigy escaped Hylian enforcement, during this, unfortunately. There is no word on the possibility of the prodigy being a Lorulean. That's all for now." I turned the volume back down.

A passerby…

I guessed General Vaati didn't know I worked for the HBI… Either that, or he didn't want the public to know I was disloyal to the king. But did Vaati know that?

I tried to ignore my conundrum and focused on stroking Zelda's hair… you know, as a friend.

_'Oh, who am I kidding…'_ I thought. _'I'm totally friend-zoned, yet I persist. The best thing for me to do would be to forget about her.'_

Then again… Sheik said Zelda cared for me. She even _cried_.

I mentally slapped myself. _'She cried because I'm her friend. Nothing more. Dammit, Link, you idiot!'_

Now I had _two_ conundrums.

I sighed and looked at Zelda's closed eyes. Her long lashes protruded from the bottoms of her eyelids, and her lips were slightly apart. She looked so peaceful.

After a long while of rest, Zelda's eyes slowly opened, and when she saw me looking down at her she smiled brightly. Then she realized where she was, and her cheeks turned red. "I-I'm sorry, Link! I didn't mean to-"

She started to sit up. I responded by wrapping my arm around her outside shoulder and pulling her back down. Her face grew redder as she looked questionably at me. "It's fine," I said quietly. "I don't mind."

Zelda smiled and nestled into my chest, her blonde hair sprawled out on my green tunic. She looked up at me sweetly with her beautiful blue eyes. "Link…" she whispered. "There's something I_-_-"

The door rattled furiously as someone on the other end pounded on the thick wood. "Open up!" yelled a voice.

I stood up abruptly, half angry that my moment with Zelda had been interrupted, half worried that I could be dragged out of my apartment on my knees and sent to prison. I slowly approached the door, waiting for the voice to speak again. I needed to find out who it was before I opened it.

"Come on! Are you in there? We're worried about you two!" I detected the voice as Pipit's. I breathed a sigh of relief and smiled reassuringly at Zelda, then opened the door. Pipit stormed in, tackling me hard to the floor. "You son of a bitch!" he cursed. He stood up and pulled me to his level by my tunic. "Care to tell me where you two disappeared to last night!?"

_'Shit. How am I gonna get out of this?'_

"Link got injured," Zelda said from the couch. "Sheik was one of the two people in that fight. He had a knife and slashed at Link's chest. We tried to stop him but he got away."

Pipit released his iron grip on my tunic, turning to Zelda. "…Sheik escaped?" For the first time, I saw fear on Pipit's face. His eyes were wide, forehead creased with worry, eyebrows raised.

"Yes…" I said with a nod.

Pipit looked at me with the same fearful look, then dropped his gaze to the floor. "…The king will not be pleased."

I shook my head. "No. But we don't need Sheik. We can do just fine without him. That's what we've been doing this whole time, right?"

Pipit nodded, the fear slowly subsiding. It was disheartening to see Pipit so frightened. I'd always pictured him as a courageous, fearless soldier. "…Who was Sheik fighting with?"

Zelda began, "Gen_-_-"

"We didn't catch his name," I interrupted. "I don't remember what he looked like either."

Pipit looked from me to Zelda, then back to me. "…Alright, then." He sighed, then turned around and started walking to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow." Once outside, he faced me again. "I'm… glad you're okay." He saluted respectfully, then walked down the hall to his apartment.

I was about to close the door when a girl's voice stopped me. "Link, wait!" called Malon. Zelda was sitting on the barstool of the counter, peering at our redheaded friend. Malon couldn't see Zelda from where she was standing, though.

"Um, what's up, Malon?" I asked nonchalantly.

She just smiled and ran up to hug me. I grimaced and my eyes grew wide in surprise, and my eyes instantly darted to Zelda. Her face was red, but expressionless. When Malon finally pulled away, her freckled cheeks started to blush. "You're back! I'm so glad you're okay!"

I laughed uneasily and smiled. "Uh, yeah. Thanks," I said.

Her smile widened. She began to tap her feet together, and her arms hung behind her back. She averted her eyes to the floor and giggled quietly. "Listen, Link… I…"

I heard Zelda clench a plastic water bottle.

Malon's blue eyes finally met my own. "…Would you like to be my date for the king's royal ball?"

Oh, shit. I didn't even know the king had a royal ball. But that wasn't why I mentally swore.

Malon had _feelings_ for me!? But… but… I didn't like her! She was just my friend!

Dammit, dammit, _dammit_!

I didn't want to hurt her! But then again, if I said yes, I'd ruin my chances with Zelda! _'What chances with Zelda?'_ I scolded myself.

Sure, Malon was, according to Groose, "_hot_," but she was just a friend. I didn't want anything more than that with her. So, I had to tell her.

"Malon…" I began. Instantly, as if I had pressed a button, her smile dropped. "I'm really sorry… but we're friends. I don't want to screw that all up."

Malon's eyes watered and her voice cracked while she spoke. "…Well you just did."

I shut the door slowly and sagged my back against it, feeling the pit in my stomach. I just broke a girl's heart.

Zelda stood by the fridge with a jubilant smile on her face. She held out a bottle of red Goronade to me. "Drink?" she asked.

* * *

**I'm going to try to include more details about the other characters, since I've been focusing on Link, Zelda, Sheik, Hilda, Ravio, and Pipit for a while. I'll be sure to include more of Malon, Groose, and Fledge in the future.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	8. Ambush

**OH MY GOSH! MAJORA'S MASK 3DS REMAKE! Too bad it isn't on Wii U… But OH MY GOSH, I'M SO EXCITED!**

**Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites! Everything is appreciated. You guys inspire me to keep writing!**

**Song suggestions: **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Ambush**

2246 HOURS.

SKULLTULLA STREET, SOUTH CASTLE TOWN.

58 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

I stood atop the roof of Zelda's previous home, the orphanage. The warehouses that Hilda and Ravio had ransacked had been wiped clean of all evidence. The wind picked up, ruffling my hair and making my cap flow.

"Master Link," hummed my FiPhone quietly. "You have received a message from Ravioli." Remembering I had changed Ravio's contact ID to "Ravioli" for security reasons, I pulled out my phone from my pants pocket, then read the message.

The screen displayed: iloivaR~ .noitanitsed ruo ot egassap a dnif lliw ew ereht morF .sniur emiT fo elpmeT eht ot gnilevart era yehT .sdooW noraF ni devirra evah adureZ dna slliH ,ukniR

(Rinku, Hills and Zeruda have arrived in Faron Woods. They are traveling to the Temple of Time ruins. From there we will find a passage to our destination. ~Ravioli)

We had also decided to change Hilda's contact ID to "Hills," the nickname that Zelda had given her back in their childhoods. I had given Zelda the Triforce of Wisdom shard; she'd do better protecting it because there could be a chance that I'd lose it in a fight.

Ravio's plan was simple: we would travel from the outskirts of Castle Town to Faron Woods, and from there we'd go to the Temple of Time (also known as the Sealed Grounds). And finally from there a convoy of Lorulean military trucks would take us to Lorule. Okay, maybe it wasn't so simple.

I replied: ?uoy era erehW .dootsrednU

(Understood. Where are you?)

I heard a loud thud behind me. I whipped around to see Ravio stand up from his squatting position after having jumped from the neighboring building. "Here," he said. Ravio pulled the purple bunny hood over his dark hair. The blue eyes on the hood glowed bright blue. He tapped them with his fingernails and they echoed; I figured they were made of glass. "Night vision."

I smirked, then tapped a button on the side of my HBI sunglasses. Immediately my vision flashed with green pixels and I could see the night sky much clearer. "Same."

Ravio scoffed. "Typical Hylian technology. At least Lorule makes their gadgets _look_ good." He smoothed back his purple ears, his lips curving into a sneer.

"Yeah, you're rocking that bunny rabbit look." I chuckled at my sarcastic comment, but Ravio seemed to take it as a compliment. "Where'd you get that thing anyway?"

"It isn't a _thing,_' it is a work of art." The hood's white tooth chattered oddly. "Anyway, Rupin, the Happy Mask Salesman, made me this. He's highly skilled at creating masks with useful effects."

"Rupin," I repeated. "…He's the guy who faked me out with a hologram."

Ravio's lips curved into a small smile. "Yes, he's the one." My odd lookalike seemed to be giving me a lot more emotion than usual.

I looked out over the edge of the roof, seeing the streets as clear as the starry night sky. The soldiers who had been patrolling the area seemed to be taking part in a shift change. "They're gone," I said to Ravio.

"How long do you think we will have?"

When I was a trainee at age fifteen, my first duty was to patrol the streets in Castle Town, mainly in the outskirts due to the rise in crime. I'd leave my post after two hours, and about three minutes later my replacement would arrive. "Three minutes, roughly."

"Then let's depart."

We ran eastward along the rooftops toward the Faron Province. To avoid getting shot down, we had to wait until they were gone to run. After all, when a soldier sees dark figures sprinting across the roofs, his first instinct would be to shoot.

Finally we reached the borderline between Castle Town and Faron, with a minute to spare. At the end of Skulltulla Street stood a toll booth, which didn't actually charge money; it just required identification. We avoided the booth easily, climbing down the other side of the building. We crossed the borderline, and we were in the Faron Province.

From Castle Town, the buildings ended abruptly. Half a mile stood in between the industrial city and the thick forest ahead. A long, winding dirt path wound from Castle Town's pavement eastward to the woods, which would eventually take us to the Temple of Time. Dark trees loomed high overhead, obscuring the moon and stars from view. I tried to see past the barrier of trees, but all was dark.

"Let's go," I murmured to Ravio.

We trekked through the plain, and within a minute or two we arrived at the entrance of the forest.

* * *

2300 HOURS.

FARON WOODS, FARON PROVINCE.

48 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Creatures of the night howled ominously, sending chills down my spine. I kept one hand on my pistol, just in case something attacked us. We had been walking eastward through the woods for what seemed like ten minutes; surely we should have arrived at the Temple of Time.

I wasn't wrong. The dark trail of the forest opened into a wide clearing, illuminated by the orangey glow of torches, which stood next to the entrance of the tall, ruined structure ahead. My mouth agape, I looked up at the tower. Stained glass windows embellished the stone walls, but some were shattered. A large chunk of the roof was taken out, as if a dragon had ripped it off. Piles upon piles of bricks filled the temple's floor.

In the arching doorway stood Hilda and Zelda. Upon sighting the two of them Ravio stiffened, then straightened his posture, chin raised in pride.

Before anyone could speak, a chorus of howls erupted within the forest surrounding us. I leapt into my battle stance and whipped out my pistol. _Damn_, I thought, _if only I brought my assault rifle!_

"What is that?" Zelda whispered loudly.

I turned to her and Hilda, then pointed at the entrance to the Temple of Time. I directed my words toward Zelda. "Stay in there." She hesitated, her face growing somber. "Go!" I ordered forcefully. Hilda returned to the temple without question, and with one last sorrowful look, Zelda followed her inside.

The howling creatures were getting closer; they could surely detect our scents. Finally, two large animals emerged from the foliage.

Tall, gray-haired creatures with piercing red eyes stepped forward, walking on their thick back paws. Obsidian claws sharper than knives dug into the soil as they walked. Their other two arms hung in front of them, their wrists flopping to the ground. The creatures' snouts protruded far from their hairy faces, with black noses and drool falling from their razor-sharp fangs. Slobbering tongues hung limply out of one end of their mouths.

Wolfos.

These beasts had been feared all across Hyrule. Not many were left in the kingdom; they traveled together in one pack, migrating across the provinces. Back in Ordon, our livestock often disappeared; no one knew why. Some told tales of seeing the pack of Wolfos devour the sheep and cows, but no one believed those far-fetched fables. The reason: anyone who would see a Wolfos had never returned.

I stiffened, about to take a step back.

"Don't move a muscle," Ravio mumbled through clenched lips.

The wolves hobbled forward, one with a bloody leg. The two of them stopped yards in front of us, and each of us stared at their fiery red eyes, hearts beating rapidly. After the Wolfos sniffed the air a bit, they faced the night sky and howled.

I took the opportunity and took a shot at one Wolfos with unsteady hands. "No!" Ravio protested, pulling out his own gun. The beast I had shot at was grazed in the side, causing fur to fly. The wolf howled in pain, then grumbled furiously. It lunged forward with its outside paw raised. I dodged as it swung at me, but I was a bit too slow. My chest was raked by the wolf's razor-sharp claws, and immediately I felt my tunic become soaked with blood. I grimaced and fell to one knee, clutching my wound, unable to get up. The Wolfos towered over me, its white fur illuminated by the flickering torchlight.

"Ugh!" Ravio grunted, falling flat on his back. The other Wolfos had kicked him hard in the shoulder with its back foot. The beast lunged upward in attempts to end his life. Ravio rolled to the right, and the Wolfos toppled over in the dirt. Quickly Ravio withdrew a knife from his belt and sidearm threw it as he leapt back to his feet, and the blade lodged itself into the Wolfos' left shoulder. It howled in agony and swung its good arm at Ravio, who dodged the blow.

Meanwhile, I fended off the Wolfos by sweep kicking at its ankles. The beast fell flat on its stomach, and I rose to my feet. I aimed my gun at the wolf's head, shooting twice. The wolf whined, then lay motionless.

I turned to the Wolfos Ravio was fending off, aiming my pistol at the beast. As I pulled the trigger, my gun clicked. I was out of ammo. "Dammit!" I yelled, searching my tactical belt for a spare clip. I came up short. I swore again and returned my gun to its holster.

Ravio yelped in pain when the Wolfos dug its obsidian claws into his arm. I withdrew a serrated hunting knife from my tactical belt and charged forward to my ally's assistance. The Wolfos let go of Ravio's arm and turned to me, its bright red eyes boring into mine. I leapt upward, swinging my makeshift weapon at the beast's head. The wolf backflipped with unexpected grace, and it gestured a paw in its direction as if it were taunting me.

_Taunting_ me!

I grumbled and gripped my knife tightly as I landed on the ground. Ravio stumbled to his feet, gritting his teeth while stifling his pain. We stood on either side of the Wolfos, surrounding it. It turned backward and forward, deciding who to face. I eyed Ravio and nodded. We charged forward, and I let out a livid cry. My knife was buried to the hilt in the Wolfos' chest, and Ravio had the beast in a headlock due to having lost his knife, choking it. The wolf howled in pain, then a chilling sensation washed over me as I felt the icy touch of death. The wolf fell to the dirt as I withdrew my knife from its chest and Ravio released his stranglehold.

I looked left and right at the dead Wolfos. They lay on the ground, bloody, their open eyes now a dim black.

I just killed a Wolfos. _Two_ Wolfos. And _lived_. Damn. That's legendary.

My victory was short-lived as I heard more sudden howls. Four more Wolfos, which seamed much bigger than the last ones, leapt out of the foliage and into the faint firelight, their teeth glimmering and nostrils flaring. Ravio and I stood back to back, and I noticed that one Wolfos, the biggest one, had a deep gash from its left shoulder to right hip. The wound didn't seem to affect the savage beast. They surrounded us, baring their fangs.

I braced myself for the impact of their sharp claws, with no solution coming to mind. I took in every detail, as it may be my last moment alive.

The wind ruffled my hair, shaking the pine trees and scattering green needles throughout the forest. The firelight licked the tree trunks and the walls of the ruined Temple of Time. The wind picked up. Leaves from faraway trees (oak, I guessed) floated past my field of vision. And I wondered, _How do oak leaves travel this far into the woods? They're mostly located at the edge of the forest._

The wind picked up even more until it was howling; no, that was a Wolfos. No, that was the _wind_! I dug my heels into the soil, bracing myself for the intervention of some divine power. Gritting my teeth, I watched with horror as the Wolfos were flung helplessly through the rushing air, being slammed against the thick pine trunks until they lost the red light in their eyes and death overtook them.

The wind decreased a bit, and we were unharmed. I surveyed the area, left and right. Then my eyes drifted upward, to a descending figure in a purple cloak and gold belt. The wind carried him down to the ground, where he gracefully landed, flipping his hair. His red unconcealed eye switched back and forth between me and Ravio. I recognized this pale man.

General Vaati.

I realized why those wolves had injuries on them. Vaati had been attacked, and he fended them off. And the only reason he "saved" us was so he could deal with us himself.

I had no idea Vaati had so much power; he could harness wind and use it at his will!

Ravio shifted uneasily, his dark crimson eyes looking at the general.

Vaati laughed, his voice as smooth as the air surrounding him. "Special Agent 1986-231 Link of Ordonia." He raised his arms in an upward motion, causing the wind to pick up again. "It is I, General Vaati… the Wind Mage."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. He went through the trouble to search for my legal identity; surely he suspected something.

I readjusted my HBI sunglasses, hoping they'd conceal my face, and also hoping Vaati wouldn't recognize the HBI model of sunglasses. I deepened my voice and puffed out my chest. "You have the wrong man."

He laughed again, but his eye maintained its malicious look. "Don't play that game with me, boy! You're the one who helped Sheik of Snowpeak escape!" General Vaati inched forward, his lip curved into a sly smirk. "I had a chat with General Ghirahim… He wants the shard back. We're onto you, boy. We tolerate no acts of treason, especially from our own 'top-notch' agents!"

Ravio took a few steps back, which alerted the beady-eyed general.

"What's this!?" he shrieked. A devilish smile formed at his lips. "You!" Vaati pointed at Ravio, whose eyes widened. "The Lorulean! You're the one who has caused all of the trouble! Ooho, this is just _grand_…"

I gripped the hilt of my know tighter, awaiting an attack.

"If I take the both of you in, King Ganondorf may promote me! I'll be in charge of the other generals, and I'll be able to boss them around! Ooh, this is just _so_ grand!" He began to snicker mischievously.

It just came to me that Vaati was unaware of Hilda and Zelda's presence. I had to keep him away from Zelda and the Triforce shard at all costs.

"So," began the general, "I suggest you lay down your weapons." His white eyebrows furrowed info a deep frown. We didn't budge. The Wind Mage snarled maliciously and snapped, "You want to fight, huh!? How _courageous_." He flipped his hair elegantly. "Ah, well. I could use the exercise, anyway."

The Wind Mage raised his arms and threw back his head, laughing maniacally. The trees blew furiously and the wind rushed past me, pounding my eardrums. I shielded my eyes with my hand, digging my heels back into the dirt. Ravio fell to his stomach and he clung to the dirt. Losing balance, I fell to my knees. The wind blew into my unshielded eyes as I grabbed the dirt with my hands, and my eyes watered.

I nearly lost my grip. General Vaati laughed again, floating up in the sky. His eye glowed fiery red, and he lifted a hand up to the heavens and let out a fierce battle cry.

A sudden burst of golden light emerged from within the Temple of Time and shot through the dark sky. Vaati tilted his head in the direction of the light and lowered his arm, but the bolt zapped him in the chest. The wind suddenly stopped, and Vaati thrashed violently, the golden light enveloping him until he fell to the ground, landing hard on one knee. As he kneeled there, golden light sparked out of his chest sporadically, to which he winced in pain.

I turned my head toward the source of the golden light and saw Zelda standing in the temple entrance, her right hand glowing while she held it out. As I looked closer, I noticed the shard of the Triforce of Wisdom inside her palm, shining with phosphorescence.

Vaati grimaced and whipped his head in Zelda's direction, rising to his feet. "You…" he snarled, wincing from a flurry of additional sparks. He pointed at Zelda, whose eyes were wide. "…The shard!"

Vaati ignored his pain from the flashing sparks and summoned more wind, lifting off of his feet and hurtling toward Zelda. She gasped and raised her arm again, shooting another bolt of golden light straight at the Wind Mage.

Vaati shrieked and fell to the ground, his sorcery outmatched for the power of the Triforce. "…Ugh!" He thrashed violently in the dirt. "The… shard! Give… it…"

Vaati's red eye stared with fury as Zelda's palm glowed. She raised it and pointed it directly at Vaati, but before she could fire another bolt of energy, the Wind Mage's golden headband reflected the light.

Vaati lunged upward one more time in attempt to attack Zelda. She released the bolt of light, and Vaati let out one last agonizing wail before dissolving into the wind, being whisked away with the leaves and pine needles.

The only thing remaining was a piece of Vaati's headband, which fell to the dirt, bathed in heavenly light.

* * *

2351 HOURS.

TEMPLE OF TIME RUINS, FARON PROVINCE.

44 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Zelda held the second shard in her left hand, the first in her right hand. Hilda and Ravio stood on either side of her, staring intently at the divine artifacts. I stood across from her waiting for something to happen.

Something did. The two shards came together as if they were magnets, glowing brighter. They formed the lower left corner of the Triforce of Wisdom.

Zelda gasped, eyes wide, at the sight. "Ah," began Hilda, "you have been chosen." Zelda looked at her, confused.

"What?" she asked.

"All will be explained," she stated simply. She then looked at me, then back to Zelda. "…I assume you'll want some time to yourselves, and the trucks will arrive in a short while. We'll give you some time alone." She tapped Ravio's shoulder and motioned for him to follow as she walked out of the ruins.

Well, that was odd. And I wasn't looking forward to the awkward moment Zelda and I were about to have. But, I _did_ like to be alone with her.

I'm very confusing.

She looked from the new shard to me, a half smile forming on her lips. Unable to find anything to say, she looked back down at the shard, her cheeks turning a bit pink.

I smiled at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey," I said. She looked back up at me. "Thanks for your help."

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, well… you needed it."

I laughed quietly. As I looked around the temple ruins, I noticed the torchlight illuminating the walls in orange and yellow. It looked beautiful and… _romantic_.

_Uh oh._

I realized why Zelda had been blushing. My hand was on her shoulder in the firelight. I retracted it, scratching the back of my head awkwardly.

"Link?" Zelda asked, stepping closer to me.

"Yes?"

Her beauty was breathtaking. I stood there, staring at her, not realizing I was doing so.

Zelda blushed again and looked at the floor. "Thank you…"

"For what?" I asked, gathering up enough courage to take her hand in mine.

She spoke very softly. "Ever since I was born, no one has been there for me… My parents were gone and my one friend abandoned me… You've been the only one who's been there for me. So… thank you."

Somehow Zelda ended up standing inches away from my face. She no longer averted her eyes, and I was staring into a pair of oceans. My heart skipped a beat. Maybe two beats. Three? This was the closest our faces had been. Ever.

But that gap soon closed. Zelda leaned in, and I was sure I was about to have a heart attack. But instead… Our lips met.

I kissed her gently, feeling her soft, warm lips against my own. Zelda's blonde hair brushed against my face, and I stroked her back passionately. She responded by caressing my hair with one hand, her other around my waist. The kiss dragged on, longing and passionate, for nearly a minute. Finally our lips departed, and I reluctantly backed my head away.

Zelda, still teary-eyed, sniffled and rubbed my hand with hers. I pulled her back into my embrace, hugging her while stroking her blonde locks.

She then uttered simply and softly, "_Thank you_…"

* * *

**Short chapter. Sorry. I just really needed to update this, so yeah. But YAY! ZeLink! Please let me know what you thought of the chapter.**

**Oh, and I have a lot of ideas for this story, so I have two options: 1. I could make this story a ****_very_**** long story, or 2. I could cut this one off at a certain point and make a sequel (perhaps even a trilogy). So please, tell me what you want me to do. (I prefer the first, but the readers' opinions are equally important!)**

**To be continued!**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	9. A Matter of Time

**Please read my other story, "Zelda: Skyward Sword- The Birth of Hyrule" if you haven't already! Thanks!**

**Thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favorites, my lovely readers! You inspire me to continue this story!**

**Song suggestions: Romance- "Romance Theme" (SS OST) and "Zelda's Theme" (SS OST) / Drama- "Forest Temple" (TP OST) / Zant's office scene- "The King of Light and Shadow" (TP OST) / Action- "Under Siege" (HW OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

**Chapter 9: A Matter of Time**

0134 HOURS.

TEMPLE OF TIME RUINS, FARON PROVINCE.

45 DEGREES INSIDE.

The Lorulean convoy never arrived. Hilda and Ravio optimistically waited outside, but Zelda and I stayed inside the Temple of Time. I hadn't taken notice of the interior's beauty; the pale stone walls were lined with ivy and torches, illuminating the temple in romantic firelight. A faded red rug lay from the entrance to a large stone slab, inscribed with ancient Hylian text I couldn't read. Behind that stood a pile of bricks, some with engravings on them. The pile of bricks used to be a door, I guessed, because behind them was a large circular chamber with an empty pedestal in the center. I wondered if it once held the Master Sword like the legends told.

_Doubtful_, I thought. _If this place ever held such a magnificent and evil-slaying artifact, then why is it in a pile of rubble? But if it ever did hold the Master Sword, where is it right now?_

I lay on my side on the temple floor, my back against the wall. My arm was around Zelda's waist, who lay directly in front of me, sound asleep. I pulled her closer, the sweet aroma of her hair wafting up to my nose. I couldn't sleep; a lot was on my mind.

_I just kissed Zelda… What did it mean? Is she my girlfriend now? Maybe it meant nothing, and she was just in a very vulnerable place last night._

Oh, goddesses, I hoped it meant something to her. It sure as hell meant a lot to me.

I lowered my head and rested it against Zelda's, enjoying her company. I shut my eyes and attempted to clear my mind.

Eventually, I let the crackling of the torches and Zelda's warmth lull me to sleep.

I awoke at the arrival of daylight; I figured it was approximately 0600 hours. I lifted my head and looked around, to which Zelda stirred. She turned her head to look at me, causing my heart to skip a beat. "Good morning," I hummed with a smile.

Zelda blushed and smiled nervously. "M-morning…" She propped herself up on one elbow and looked around the temple. "Where are Ravio and Hilda?"

"Last time I checked, they were outside." She nodded and looked at the floor. "Hey…" I grabbed Zelda's hand with the arm I had over her and rubbed it gently, causing her to look up at me. I took the opportunity to lean in slowly, and I kissed her lips affectionately. Heat emanated from her face and added to mine, and we sat up, not breaking away from each other. I cupped her face with one hand and deepened the kiss.

Finally. Finally, finally, _finally_.

I had only done it twice, but I loved kissing her. Zelda's warm lips were soft against mine, her fair skin silky against my fingertips.

After a while, our lips broke apart, and Zelda leaned her forehead against mine. She intertwined her fingers with mine and breathed softly, but as if she were out of breath. Her cheeks were bright red, and a small smile formed at the lips I had just kissed.

Yep, it meant something to her.

"Ahem."

I broke away from Zelda and looked to the source of the sound. Ravio stood in the doorway, glaring at us.

Why was he angry?

"Hilda wants to see us," Ravio said, maintaining his glare. He spun around and walked back outside the temple.

I returned my gaze to Zelda, my face red and eyes wide. She matched my expression. "Um, I guess we should…"

"Yeah," Zelda interrupted awkwardly.

I stood up and offered her my hand. She took it, and I pulled her up to her feet. We walked out of the temple and into the bright forest.

The sun beat down on the pale dirt of the clearing we were in, warming my skin. The trees and bushes were a vibrant green, the multicolored flowers and berries popping out in contrast. A small stream trickled nearby, reflecting the light in its sparkling ripples.

Hilda stood a few feet ahead of us, surveying the area. Zelda and I waited patiently in the doorway for her to speak, with Ravio separating us and Hilda. He stood a ways away, eyes at the ground. Every once in a while he'd shoot me a glare.

"The convoy had been intercepted," Hilda said in her powerful tone of voice. She turned around to face us, but looked down at the dirt as if she were shameful. "Our trackers back in Lorule have sent me a message, saying that they lost signal of the trucks. However, a soldier managed to report who was responsible for this: General Vaati."

I sighed and scratched my head. It seemed like we were fighting for a hopeless cause. And pretty soon, Ganondorf would learn of my treason and lock me up for life. I was beginning to think joining Zelda had been a mistake.

Hilda met our eyes finally. "…There were no survivors."

_He killed them._

I was reminded of the evil that this kingdom was suffering from. No, joining Zelda was not a mistake. Could it be a hopeless cause? Maybe so, but that didn't mean I couldn't still fight.

Sure, the Lorulean soldiers were rebels, but that gave no excuse for murder. A just punishment would be to lock them up in prison; it's common courtesy.

Hilda turned back around. "I advise you two to return to your occupation. Your coworkers must be suspicious of your whereabouts." Hilda strode off to the path we entered in the bought before. She stopped and turned her head. "Farewell. We will meet again."

As Hilda walked along the path, Ravio turned to me and grabbed my shoulder. He brought me inside the temple and motioned for Zelda to stay outdoors.

Uh oh…

When we got inside he forcefully released my shoulder with a push. "Hey!" I protested. "Don't be acting all jealous, now!"

"Jealous? Bullshit." He walked up to me and jabbed a finger in my chest. In a low but forceful voice, he said, "Do _not_ get involved with her. She is to be an _ally_, nothing more. If your little '_relationship_' gets in the way of that, you could jeopardize the entire revolution. Do you understand!?" He progressively raised his voice until he yelled the last demand in my face.

I raised my chin and snarled, "I'm not to take orders from you." I straightened up my shoulders, obtaining confidence. "And your threats aren't going to stop me from being '_involved_' with her."

Ravio's lip twitched into a malicious snarl. "Mind your words, rookie. You'd hate to have me as your enemy."

"I'm no rookie… So if you're so dangerous, prove me wrong," I shot back, raising my arms into the fighting positing.

I sneered at him as he took two steps back. He turned away and strode out of the temple, muttering, "Heed my warnings, Ordonia."

"Coward," I murmured under my breath.

After my doppelganger left, Zelda poked her head in from around the corner of the doorway, her expression worried. "L-Link? …Are you okay?"

I sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine." I joined Zelda at the temple entrance, and I grabbed her hand, intertwining our fingers. "Hilda's right; we should get back. It's nearly 0700."

Zelda's eyes lingered on our connected hands, her cheeks tinted pink. Then she met my eyes and nodded. "Okay."

Our walk from the temple was pleasant. The sun was warm and the scenery was beautiful, not to mention the beautiful girl I was walking with. At first Zelda nervously engaged in small talk, but eventually she warmed up to me and walked as close to me as possible.

It was 0720 hours when we exited the forest, and we had to take a wide turn, straying from the path that led to the toll booth on the borderline between provinces. It was broad daylight; we'd have to be extra careful to avoid being spotted sneaking over the province border.

A rickety fence cut off a Castle Town alley from the Faron Province, and it stood between two small businesses. I helped Zelda hop over it, and once she was on the other side, I leapt over it myself. We exited the alley, and continued down Skulltula Street toward the Zantland skyscraper looming in the distance.

* * *

0857 HOURS.

HBI HEADQUARTERS, CASTLE TOWN.

64 DEGREES INSIDE.

We got into the agency three minutes early. The room was empty, dark. As soon as we stepped out of the elevator, automatic lights flickered on. I looked at Zelda with a smile. She was blushing madly; I couldn't figure out why.

And then it hit me: we were alone.

I smiled again, and heat rose to my cheeks. I walked up to Zelda and wrapped my arms around her waist. She wrapped hers around my neck, and I slowly leaned in. I pressed my lips against hers, the warmth lulling me into a trance.

Zelda pulled away, her eyelids barely apart. "Wait…"

I looked questionably at her, disappointed about the interruption.

"Before they come, we should keep this… a secret."

I raised my eyebrows at her.

Flustered, Zelda quickly backpedaled. "Not that I'm embarrassed, of course!" I sighed with a light chuckle. "It's just… If we ever become their enemies, I don't want them to use one of us against each other."

I smiled. "That's smart. Okay, I'm in."

Her blush increased as a thought came over her. "But before then," she said softly, "we can continue."

I grinned and leaned in, kissing her soft lips once again. I poured as much affection and passion I could into this kiss, since we wouldn't be able to again until the end of our shift. She reciprocated, pulling my body closer to hers. I stroked her hair and held her waist tighter.

The ding of the elevator interrupted our kiss._ Damn_, I thought,_ it's already been three minutes?_

I pulled away from Zelda and bolted to my desk, Zelda doing the same. In strode Groose, wearing his dark shades with a spring in his step. Chipper, as always. He wore an arrogant sneer that made me want to sock him right in the jaw. While removing the sunglasses from his eyes, Groose smoothed back his fiery pompadour with his free hand. "What's been going on in _here_?"

I turned to look at Zelda, who was blushing madly. I found it adorable, but now wasn't the moment to drool over her. That was Groose's moment, apparently, because he strode over to her and leaned his arms on her desk. She backed up in her chair and shot me a nervous glance.

"Might I say, you look beautiful." Groose snickered, towering over her. "Just like always," he added with a wink.

"…Um, thanks," Zelda said, annoyed. I could tell she was used to guys drooling over her; probably something she often got back at the orphanage.

"Any time. Oh! I just remembered!" He whipped out two slips of paper.

"You didn't just remember," I muttered under my breath; surely he had planned this. A deep anger welled within my soul, and I fought to subdue it. Was Groose going to ask her out? Truthfully, I couldn't blame Groose; after all he thought that she was fair game. He didn't know we were together now. But still, the anger was present, and showed no signs of going away as Groose kept hitting on Zelda.

"I've got two tickets to the Indigo-Go's concert. You in?"

_Ah, hell no!_

The Indigo-Go's were a very popular band made up of Zoras, often holding their concerts beside Lake Hylia. Their concerts were hot spots for dates, and sometimes when they weren't "rocking out" the Indigo-Go's would play their romantic songs.

"Uh, no," she rebuffed. Quickly, as if she had forgotten, Zelda added, "Sorry."

How brutal.

Groose, eyes wide in disbelief, shook his head madly. "Wait, wait, wait, what!? No!? You _serious_ right now!?" Zelda simply nodded.

I chucked to myself and turned back to my desk.

Groose turned to me and glared furiously. "And what're you laughing about, Ordonia!? I'd like to see you score someone like Zelda!"

This time Zelda laughed, but not as quietly as I had. I joined her, and we began laughing uncontrollably. Groose whipped his head back and forth between us, face bright red in anger, nostrils flaring. "Screw this! I'm going home!"

He stormed off toward the elevator, which slid open with a ding at his arrival. Fledge and Pipit were inside, but Groose barged in and shoved the two boys out of the way. The elevator shut, and Groose was gone.

"What's got his pompadour in a ruffle?" Pipit asked, sticking a thumb in the direction of the elevator.

"He just got rejected," I said bluntly, a smile forming at my lips.

Zelda giggled. "Out of all the guys I had denied, his reaction was the funniest." She then sighed, the smile dropping. "But still, I feel kinda bad."

"Goddesses, don't," said Fledge, rubbing the back of his green hair. "He got what he deserved."

I nodded. "Yeah," I spun around in my chair to look at Zelda, "he's always been an arrogant jerk."

Zelda shrugged, offering me a cute smile. I smiled back.

"Speaking of rejections…" said Fledge, "Malon isn't coming in today." He looked accusingly at me, and I dropped my gaze to my lap.

I sighed, putting my hands to my face. "I'm sorry, okay? I never realized she liked me, and I never felt the same."

"_Liked_ you?" questioned Pipit with air quotes. "Dude, she was in love with you."

"What!?" I exclaimed, as did Zelda.

Pipit's eyes lingered on Zelda, due to her outburst, for a moment, confused. Then he returned his gaze to me. "Yes. She loved you. Nothing less."

I returned my hands to my face, sighing. "I… can't believe it."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, she's heartbroken," Pipit said, patting my shoulder.

"That doesn't make me feel better."

"I've been trying my best to convince her to come back to work, but she won't," Fledge said sadly.

I felt awful; but what else could I have done? I couldn't say yes! I liked Zelda, not Malon.

After the uncomfortable conversation had ended, we returned to work. Pipit stood by the windows and addressed us, holding his laptop on his palm with one hand. "Now," he began, clicking on something we couldn't see, "I just sent you all General Vaati's orders."

A window popped up on my laptop screen. The text read:

TWO ROGUE LORULEANS, AIDED BY TWO UNIDENTIFIED HYLIANS.

SIGHTED IN ELDIN, FARON, AND CASTLE TOWN PROVINCES.

YOU HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO USE FORCE,

AS ORDERED BY GENERAL VAATI.

So, I thought, Vaati is trying to keep our treason hidden from everyone. After all, what would happen if the public found out that two HBI agents have gone rogue? Maybe he just sent this message as a way to scare us.

I turned around in my seat to look at Zelda, who had turned sickly pale. Her eyes met mine, her expression worried, fearful.

"These rogues," said Pipit, "have been a thorn in our side for far too long. General Vaati said he knew where their next target was: right here in Castle Town. Don't ask me why; he didn't offer an explanation. So, with that being said, Fledge and I will assemble soldiers along the perimeter of the province. This will prove to be difficult; as a result crime will rise inside the border."

"So what will we do?" I asked, motioning to Zelda.

Pipit rubbed his chin. "You two have been requested elsewhere. It was Mr. Zant, if I recall."

Damn.

I had an appointment with one of Ganondorf's generals.

My time was running out.

* * *

1010 HOURS.

GENERAL ZANT'S OFFICE, ZANTLAND, CASTLE TOWN.

65 DEGREES INSIDE.

There I was, in the twenty-second floor of the largest corporation in Hyrule. Next to me sat Zelda, the most beautiful girl in Hyrule, but sitting next to her didn't comfort me. No, because I was sitting across from the richest and one of the most dangerous (aside from King Ganondorf) guys in Hyrule: Mr. (a.k.a. "General") Zant.

I had never met with him in person before, aside from that time he contacted me with a hologram, and frankly, I never wanted to.

The Twili was a blue-skinned creature, his eyes bright yellow with no pupils and his mouth a tiny line on his long face. His nose didn't extend from his face; it merely lay there like a squished cucumber. The back of his head was covered by brown, maybe bronze, rings of some sort, which also made up his neck. A large, black robe with intricate green patterns was adorned by the general, a typical style among royal Twili. The sleeves covered his arms, and I couldn't see his hands. Tassels hung from the sleeves, dancing every time he moved his arms. The obsidian helmet sat on the edge of his desk, with intricate carvings etching out eyes and a long, curling tongue where the mouth would be.

Zant sat with his arms laying on the table in front of him, staring at me with those large but beady eyes. "So!" he squeaked in a high, raspy voice. "Agent Link, I assume you and your… partner here are familiar with my position, much unlike your fellow agents."

I nodded, unable to find my voice.

"Yes, I am a general." He paused, twitching oddly. "Who informed you of this?"

"Sheik," I said quietly.

"Ah, the elusive Sheikah…" Zant grumbled and grabbed at his head. "I must ask you that you do not pass on this information to your coworkers. I prefer to act 'undercover,' if you will."

I nodded. "Understood."

"Now…" Zant's eyes widened. "Let us get to the more important issue."

_Oh, goddesses. Here come the soldiers to take us away._

Somehow I found Zelda's hand and took it, our joined hands obscured from the Twili's view. I rubbed it reassuringly and kept my eyes on Zant.

"General Ghirahim and General Vaati have always hated the prodigies. They feel that they are given too much power, and they themselves feel challenged."

_We're only seventeen_, I protested in my thoughts.

"That is why I do not find their claims to be truthful; their claims being that you stole the relics, which they had been trusted by the king to carry. Nay, I disagree!" Zant's tiny line of a mouth twitched into a miniscule smile. "I'm on your side here; clearly it was the Loruleans…"

_ Whoa, am I in the clear?_

Zant's tiny smile dropped to a similarly-sized frown. "Those wretched Loruleans…" he muttered angrily. He then resumed his previous mood. "But, I must ask you… why were you present in the same provinces as they had been, at the same time?"

I grew pale and spat out the first excuse that came to mind. "We were tracking them. I know we didn't have the orders, but we wanted to catch these two as quickly as possible."

Zant leaned back in his chair, his yellow eyes darting from me to Zelda, who shifted uneasily in her seat. He returned his gaze to me, saying, "How honorable. Trying to get a little extra credit, I suppose."

I nodded, putting on a tiny, fake smile. My eyes wandered to the area behind Zant's tall, throne-like chair, and I saw a large safe with a keypad on it.

Two beeps sounding behind us alerted Zant's attention. "Ah! I am being summoned." And with that, Zant exited his office, leaving me and Zelda inside.

I was about to leave when Zelda grabbed my arm. I looked at her, and she pointed at the large window. Four glowing round objects attached Ravio's hands and feet to the glass. Ravio looked at me through the blue eyes of his bunny hood, then lurched his head forward at the glass. The white tooth dug into the window, cutting as if it were a razorblade. Once a decent-sized hole was cut out, Ravio stuck his arm through it and pressed a button on his round gadget, and red lasers were deployed, curving back towards the window. They moved in a circular motion, cutting a much larger hole for Ravio to fit through. He kicked in the circle of glass and hopped into Zant's office.

"Ravio!?" Zelda exclaimed.

Ravio smiled at Zelda, then looked at me. "Link," he said with a humored grin, "this will be your final mission before you join us."

"What the hell are you doing!?" I yelled. "When Zant sees this damage, he'll know that we were the culprits!"

"He will know you're the culprits when he finds the Triforce shard missing."

Shit. This would be my final mission as a double agent. From then on I'd be Lorulean. If only I could've done more!

"Check the safe. He must be hiding it in there." Ravio darted to the safe and studied the keypad, its keys glowing green. Above it was a round black object, most likely a scanner. "No need for this." He took the purple gadgets off from his foot and stuck them to the surface of the safe.

"What are those things?" Zelda asked.

"My own personal invention. I call it the hyper grapple. It does a lot more than just grappling. Exhibit A…" He motioned to the gadgets, backing up. They fell to the ground, leaving nothing but a black mark where they had been. "Damn! The safe is too strong…"

The doors to Zant's office were blocked off by an iron fence. An alarm sounded. The room flashed red.

"You set off the alarm!" I yelled, pushing Ravio out of the way.

"Link!" Zelda called. "Zant left his helmet!"

I turned around, and sure enough, there was Zant's helmet, lying on the table. I picked it up, and it was surprisingly heavy; I wondered how Zant carried that on his shoulders all day. I brought the helmet over to the scanner above the keypad and lifted it upward, showing the "face" to the scanner. A green light flashed and scanned up and down.

A monotonous voice said, "Access granted."

A deep rumbling emerged from within the safe, and we backed up. It swung open, and… it was empty.

The iron gate lifted. Soldiers poured in through the door, blasters drawn, all in their bulletproof uniforms. They pointed their guns at us.

I didn't think. I grabbed Zelda's hand, clinging to my FiPhone with the other, and ran to the window. When we got to it I hugged Zelda to me, and I jumped backwards, throwing my body against the glass. It shattered, and we were free falling through the skies of Castle Town, with lasers being fired toward us, eventually dissipating into nothingness due to the distance. I shouted out a command to my phone, praying to the goddesses that it'd work. Zelda was trembling, clinging to me with tears in her eyes. But she trusted me.

I just needed to trust myself.

"_Teleport_!" I screamed to my phone over the sound of the rushing wind.

The next thing I knew, Zelda and I landed softly on the sidewalk. Her hands clung to my tunic, and she retracted her head from my shoulder, eyes wide in horror. I looked up for a split second at the skyscraper above me, then back at Zelda. "We have to go!" I said, grabbing her hand.

We started down the street, but we stopped suddenly. Ravio landed hard on the ground, on one knee. The pavement caved in where he landed, and he grimaced. He stood up with a grunt and lifted up the hyper grapples. "They're… _ugh... _shock absorbers too."

I led Zelda down the road, sprinting at full speed. Ravio followed close behind with a slight limp. I darted in between the many pedestrians, shoving some out of the way. I stole a glance behind me, and I saw Ravio shoving through the crowds. But behind him, files of soldiers dashed after us in pursuit.

Soon we passed the Anju Apartments building. I looked inside the window at the lobby, seeing Kafei the bellhop staring at me in horror. Behind him stood a tall figure whom I couldn't name.

Increasing my speed, I carried on through the street. Zelda kept looking backward, and eventually she yelped.

"_Ordonia_!"

Before I could look back my back was slammed into by a huge oaf. I fell to the ground and tasted blood in my mouth. My FiPhone skidded across the sidewalk in the direction I was walking. I craned my neck to look at the guy who trampled me.

Groose.

"_Link_!" Zelda shrieked.

Ravio nearly passed by me. Then he stopped and looked back, noticing me on the ground underneath Groose, with tons of soldiers nearly upon us.

Groose looked up from holding me on the ground, right at Zelda. He looked back at the pursuing soldiers, then back at Zelda. "Go, Zelda! Save yourself!"

A tear ran down Zelda's cheek. "No! Let him go!"

Ravio snatched up my phone from the sidewalk, then grabbed Zelda's arm. "Let's go, girlie."

"No! No, I won't_-_-"

Ravio dragged her away to the south, in the direction of Lorule.

That's all I remembered before the Hylian soldiers dragged me away.

My time had run out.

* * *

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	10. Light and Shadow

**We're officially in the double digits!**

**Thanks for all the reviews/follows/favorites. Everything is appreciated.**

**Song suggestions: Ganondorf scene- "Against Ganondorf" (TP OST) / Action [escape, fight scene]- "Silent Guardians" (HW OST) / Action [during captivity]- "Forest Temple" (TP OST) / Drama- "Sacred Grove" (TP OST) / Proxi- "Story Unfolding" (SS OST) / Lorule- "Dragon Theme" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Light and Shadow**

1205 HOURS.

GANON'S COURT, HYRULE CASTLE.

72 DEGREES INSIDE.

I had been bloodied. Beaten. Dragged for miles to the heart of Castle Town. Struck across the head. Knocked out.

I awoke kneeling on my knees, held by two heavily-armed Hylian soldiers. Nearly ten yards away sat Ganondorf on his throne. His smug, arrogant expression had been wiped off; now his face portrayed pure fury. He growled when he saw my eyes snap open, my head swiveling left and right across the room. Finally I met the tyrant's eyes, a snarl forming at my lips.

"It appears our top agent has no further use for the sake of my reign," Ganondorf said flatly, his voice quiet, but still booming throughout the room.

"It appears our _tyrant_ king has no further use for the sake of _Hyrule's welfare_," I shot back.

Ganon snapped his fingers, and the soldiers smacked me across the head with the ends of their rifles. I spat blood out in Ganon's direction, grumbling.

"What a rotten disgrace!" he yelled, standing up from his throne. He turned his attention away from me for the moment. "Guards! Dismissed."

They saluted and walked out the large door to the king's court, leaving me alone with this ruthless tyrant.

"You're lucky I didn't kill you on sight!" Ganon said, stepping forward with heavy black boots. "The hero's descendant. A pity you were even born!"

"You can thank Demise for that," I growled, recalling the legend of the skies.

He backhanded me across the face, and I thought my jaw may have broken. "You are not worthy to _ever_ say the name of my ancestor!" He took a few steps back.

I spat out some more blood, cursing under my breath.

"You had _one simple task_!" he screamed, the sound reverberating against the walls. "Follow my every command! And you couldn't even do that, you wretched _disgrace_!" Ganondorf growled, raising his gauntlet-clad fist in the air. It emanated dark power, but something else caught my eye, something I couldn't describe. "You possessed _two_ of my generals' shards. _Two_! I had three, and now I have but _two damned shards_!"

"I don't have them," I said quietly, but forcefully.

"I am aware," he grumbled. "Your rabbit friend has them… But do not raise your hopes; my army is in pursuit. Soon I will have the completed relic!"

_Completed relic?_ I thought.

He showed me the back of his fist, and through the dark power shone a golden light. A single golden triangle glowed, standing above two faded triangles. "The Triforce of Power is _mine_, yes." His smugness returned, a sneer curving at his lips. "And, as the legend recounts…"

He walked up to me, gripping at my wrist. I yelped in pain, Ganon's fist crushing my bones. The king lifted me off my feet and I grimaced. My hand throbbing, 8 thrashed violently in attempts to escape, but to no avail. "…The Triforce of Courage is always in the possession of the _hero_."

My hand glowed golden, and a faded Triforce appeared on my hand. A burning sensation occurred, and I writhed in pain. Then the bottom-right triangle, the Triforce of Courage, glowed fiercely, bathing my tunic in heavenly light.

"And soon, that will be mine too."

* * *

0756 HOURS.

LOCATION UNKNOWN.

61 DEGREES INSIDE.

The night dragged on, and I awoke in complete darkness the next morning. My drowsy mind assumed I had gone blind, but as I rubbed my eyes my thoughts became more rational. I blinked a couple times, then stretched my arms up_-_\- I couldn't bring them past my shoulders. Panicking, my head darted left and right for any sign of another human being.

The lights flickered on. I grunted as tears came to my eyes from the sudden change in brightness. Looking around the dull gray room, I realized where I was: an interrogation room. I sat in a chair at a small table, my arms shackled to the chair's armrests. An empty chair sat across from mine. As I looked left I saw a dark window, where the spectators were watching me right now. I couldn't see them, but I could feel them…

The door next to the window swung open, and in strode a man with neat brown hair and a yellow tunic. Silver letters on his breast pocket read "HBI."

"Pipit," I croaked, clutching my sore throat.

He scowled at me. Striding to the table, he didn't bother to sit. Instead he raised his arm and brought his fist down on my face. I grimaced and spat up blood, my jaw tightening. "You goddess-damned traitor!"

I kept my lips tight; I didn't want to say anything I'd regret. So I put on a determined and prideful glare.

"I had high hopes for you, Link. I should've left you to die in the slums!"

I nodded, a sneer curling on my lips for a mere second.

"I thought you could change, but you proved me wrong! Just because your ancestors lived that life, that doesn't mean you have to!"

I gave up my act of silence and yelled, "What life? A life of fighting for _light_ and not _darkness_!?"

Pipit punched me again, harder this time. My injured jaw cracked and I grimaced painfully. "You need to know which side to fight for," he growled. "Lorule is evil. They killed our families, robbed us of our hard-earned rupees!" He rested his arms on the table, snarling a bit more quietly than before, "You were working for _the shadows_."

The shadows. Hylians used that term to symbolize evil.

I growled at the insult, then said quietly but forcefully, "Sometimes you've got to work in the shadows to bring back the light."

A moment passed.

Pipit backed up, then turned to the door. Before he left, he said, "Farewell, shadow agent."

The door slammed shut, and the lights shut off; I was left in the shadows of Hyrule Castle.

* * *

1004 HOURS.

CELL 001, HYRULE CASTLE.

63 DEGREES INSIDE.

My shackles had been undone by a soldier a few hours ago. I was able to move around, so I pressed my ear to the cell door, from which I heard the faint mumbles of soldiers outside. I listened as intently as I could, but their speech was broken apart.

"…Cell number one… agent who… treason."

Number one, huh? I've heard that this cell was reserved for the most notorious and dangerous criminals ever caught. I was more valuable than I thought.

"And… cell two… Sheikah leader, Impa?" asked the second guy.

"Yes," replied the first.

So, I was being held captive next to Impa. I wondered if she knew that I was in the call next to her. Maybe I could find a way to contact her?

A low jingling noise alerted my pointy ears. They perked up, and I listened for the sound to repeat. It did.

The sound came from behind me; I turned around. Wedging itself through a crack in the wall, a sparkling red fairy squirmed. Finally, with a pop of sparkles, the red fairy came through. It hurled through the air with the force it needed to free itself, then slammed into my forehead. The fairy fell, but I caught it in my hand, rubbing my forehead with the other.

"Oof!" the fairy said. "Sorry! Did not see you there."

"Uh, no worries," I replied.

"Whoa, you can speak to me? Only a select few can speak the language of the fairies!" It propelled itself upward and flew to my eye level.

I shrugged. "I guess I was just born with the ability."

"Anyway, I must be in the wrong cell. Lady Impa told me to go to cell number one to meet Hyrule's top criminal."

"You came from Impa's cell?"

"Yes. But I'm looking for cell one."

"This is cell one," I said flatly with a nod.

"…But you can't be the criminal! You're too… kind," said the fairy.

I shrugged again. "Not to the king, I wasn't."

"Okay, I guess." The fairy fluttered its wings. "My name's Proxi. What's yours?"

"Link."

"Well, that's an unusual one. But, it sounds familiar…" Proxi paused as if deep in thought. "Link! You're the famous prodigy from the Ordonia Province!"

"Now I'm even more famous."

"What're you in for, then? Aren't you a top-notch agent from the HBI facility located in Castle Town's largest skyscraper, Zantland?"

_Whoa, this fairy talks a lot,_ I thought.

"A _former_ HBI agent," I corrected. "I'm in for treason by assisting Lorule."

"It _is_ you!" Proxi squealed with excitement. "Lady Impa wants to know if Zelda is alright, by the way."

"She's_-_-" I cut myself off.

How did Impa know who Zelda was!?

"…She's most likely in Lorule by now," I said. "I assume she has received hospitality from Ravio. Please relay this message to Impa_-_\- and please ask her if she knows who Ravio is."

"Ravio, huh? You've met him?" Proxi asked. I nodded. "Well," she said, "Impa knows Ravio, and so do I. He's very valuable_-_\- co-general of the resistance's army, in fact."

"What!?" I exclaimed. I had no idea Ravio held so much power among the Loruleans.

"And what of Hilda?" I pressed.

"Also co-general," Proxi said. "Lorule has a leader, but most look at Ravio and Hilda as the true leaders. After all, they command the army."

"Who is the real leader?"

Proxi fluttered around the room, causing sparkles to fall through the air. "All will be explained in due time. But for now, I must communicate with Lady Impa_-_\- and then I'll be taking my leave."

"Wait," I said. "How do you know all of this information?"

Proxi laughed lightly, but came out as a squeal due to her small size. "I'm from Lorule. They call me the 'Rumor Fairy.' I know just about everything worth knowing."

Before the fairy could return to Impa's cell, I once again stopped her. "Hey, if you… see Zelda, tell her… that I'll see her again."

"Sure." And the fairy left me in my cell. "Oh, and… they're coming to help you."

* * *

1402 HOURS.

CELL 001, HYRULE CASTLE.

60 DEGREES INSIDE.

A day passed. I sat in the lone chair, my hands running through my hair. My strength was depleting. Physical and mental. Hunger plagued my grumbling stomach. Every now and then a soldier would drop a tray of food and a pitcher of water into my cell, but I didn't eat or drink. In my training I had learned that Hyrule drugged its prisoners so they lost strength, just in case one tried to escape.

I didn't eat because I thought I was going to escape.

My caretaker in Ordon, Rusl, always told me, "If you don't have hope, you have nothing."

I looked up at the ceiling, tears forming in my eyes. _Ordon_… If only I'd never left.

I wouldn't be here if I'd never left Ordon. But… I wouldn't have met Zelda.

I removed my hands from my head and stared at my palms. Traces of dried blood riddled my wrists, from the shackles, and my palms, where I'd dug my fingernails into. Throwing back my head, I released a helpless, agonizing cry of pain.

I turned my right hand over. As soon as my eyes met the faded triangles the bottom-right one glowed with heavenly light.

I possessed a piece of the Triforce.

Many thoughts raced through my head as I stared at the divine mark on my hand. The first thought was: _How can I use it to escape?_

I became stronger. My eyebrows narrowed with determination. I grit my teeth and clenched my fists. I stood up and kicked my chair back. It fell to the floor with a rattling noise.

The Triforce of Courage glowed furiously as I walked toward the heavy steel door. I was about to release my anger and try to bust down the heavy door, but something stopped me. I heard a faint noise from behind the door. Kneeling down to the thin crack at the bottom of the door, I pressed my ear to it to hear the sound that alerted me.

"…Transfer the… to… Lanayru Province," said the voice of a guard.

"…Arbiter's Prison… Gerudo Desert?" asked another.

"King's orders," said the first guy.

Then I heard a beeping noise, and the door clicked, unlocked. The door swung open toward me, and I stared at the two men with a blank frown. They wore hardened expressions on their faces, camouflage-print jackets, black bulletproof vests, light cargo pants, and black boots. At each soldier's waist hung a pistol, and they pointed their Hylian blasters at me in a readied stance. The first guy had a thick beard and a camo helmet. The next guy had no facial hair but had a wide jaw and a large, bulbous nose. He spoke as though he were congested. "Come with us."

I didn't move.

The first guy strode over to me and gripped my shoulder and pointed the gun at my hand. The large-nosed man followed suit, but kept his blaster pointed forward as we exited the cell. We emerged in a large, dark hall, which ran right from my cell door; to the left came an abrupt dead end. We turned to the right, and we strode at a decent pace. I shifted my gaze to the right and saw the door neighboring mine, which read: 002.

Impa's cell.

If I were to escape, now would be the chance; I'd also need to free Impa. Sheik hinted that she had affiliation with Lorule, after all. The bearded man noticed my lingering gaze and forced the barrel of his gun to my head harder. "Eyes forward," he said.

I looked at the floor, taking note that the guards forgot to cuff me. A miniscule smirk curved at my lips as I thought, _Rookie mistake._

"Hey," said the man to my right, "you see that?"

I looked up, noticing a ray of bright light, caused by a form of technology. It bobbed up and down as if the carrier was walking toward us.

The man to my left, the man with the beard, said, "Yes." He raised his voice, directing his speech to the person walking to us. "State your name and business lurking down here!"

The light kept moving forward without hesitation. We couldn't see who was holding it.

"We have authority to shoot!" shouted the large-nosed man.

We heard a rattling above us. All of our heads darted upward to the source, an air vent. As the guards were distracted, the light flashed upward at the holder's face. It looked like… No…

Yes. It was Ravio in his bunny hood.

The bearded man raised his gun at the air vent. I took the opportunity and elbowed him in the jaw, and he grunted and dropped his blaster. The other guard looked down at me with wide eyes, but I sweep kicked him in the knees, and he fell flat on his face. The air vent broke, and a figure in a gray outfit dropped to the ground just as the first guy stood up.

"Sheik!" I said.

Sheik punched the bearded guy in the nose, then brought his knee up to his groin. The guard clutched his injury and lowered his upper body, giving Sheik the opportunity to knee him in the face. He fell on his back, knocked out. "Learned that from you," Sheik said to me.

The second guy got up, raising his blaster to shoot Sheik in the head. I hollered, "Look out!"

A silent bullet lodged itself in the guard's chest, and he fell to the floor with a thud.

I turned to see Ravio, still holding his sniper rifle, armed with a suppressor, at the ready. Then he lowered it and nodded at us.

I nodded back, kneeling down to the first guard. I took the pistol at his hip and a few extra clips of bullets.

"Link," Ravio said, walking up next to me, "you'll want these." He handed me my FiPhone, tactical belt, HBI sunglasses, bulletproof vest, forest-green cap, and bulletproof gauntlets. "Oh, and I removed all of the tracking devices."

I put everything on, nodding in thanks to Ravio. I strapped the extra clips of ammunition to my tactical belt and said to Sheik and Ravio, "We need to free Impa now."

Sheik looked hopefully at me, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. "Where is she?"

I stuck my thumb in the direction of the cell door that was marked 002. "In there."

Ravio knelt beside the dead guard and pulled a metallic object out of his breast pocket. It was shaped oddly like a card. He stood up and moved to the door, observing the handle. An indent was on it, as if to swipe a credit card in it. He swiped the metallic card through the indent, and a blue hologram appeared on the surface of the door. It read, "ACCESS GRANTED." The handle clicked, unlocked. Ravio kicked the iron door with his black boot, and it swung open forcefully, the hinges creaking.

The interior of the cell was identical to mine, and Impa was sitting in the chair by the table. Her red eyes wide, Impa stood up with alarm. Her eyes darted from Sheik to me, and her eyebrows narrowed, her lips curving into a snarl. "You!"

I nodded. "Yeah, it's me. We're busting you out of here."

She didn't question me. Impa jogged out of the cell, and Ravio tossed her a pistol. She caught it and raised her chin questionably at the rabbit-hooded figure. Ravio lifted up his hood and sneered at her, humored. "General?" Impa asked while we began running down the corridor. Ravio nodded. "It's about time I've met you face-to-face. You look just like the green one."

"A mystery why that is," Ravio said; I had a feeling that he knew why, however.

The hall eventually brightened with florescent lights, and we made our way up a spiral staircase. After a short while of climbing, we emerged in daylight. We were in a courtyard, with green grass and a stone pathway. On the left and right sides of the pathway were stone statues of King Ganondorf and the Great Sword, respectively. The courtyard was riddled with bodies of incapacitated soldiers, some bloodied and some broken.

"Don't ask," Sheik explained.

We ran through the long courtyard, toward the tall doorway ahead. As we got halfway there, yellow-hued electrical currents activated and ran horizontally. I turned my head toward the direction we came from, but similar currents trapped us in the courtyard.

"Dammit," Ravio cursed, looking up at the stone walls above the exit. On the ledge lined ten snipers, all aiming their rifles straight at us.

Good thing I had my tactical belt.

I pressed the blue button on my belt, creating a force field around the four of us right as the snipers fired. The bullets bounced off harmlessly and landed in the grass. I pressed the button three more times, separating the force field into four different ones, protecting each of us. My right hand glowed golden as the power of the Triforce coursed through my veins, and I dashed to the wall where the snipers stood atop.

I could hear the ringing deep in my ears become more and more repetitive, and I realized that the force field's duration time was depleting. Harnessing more power of the Triforce of Courage, I put on another burst of speed toward the wall.

It stood about ten feet tall, so it was doubtful anyone could scale it; however, I was an excellent climber, and the Triforce only helped enhance that skill. I found many footholds and launched myself upward until my hand gripped the clothing of a sniper. I hurled the guy over the wall, where he landed on his back.

Vaulting over the barrier, I landed on the four-foot-wide ledge and dashed to the other nine snipers. Whipping out my pistol, I caught them off guard. I shot two rounds at the nearest soldier, then kicked him over the edge. The other soldiers aimed their rifles at me, firing, but my force field blocked the bullets.

Finally the force field disbanded, and I swore in frustration. I shot four rounds at the soldiers, striking each in the chest. They fell, leaving the others behind them open. I shot one, killing him, then my clip ran out. I decided against refilling it; that would be too time-consuming. Instead I dashed forward and blocked a soldier's swing, performing an uppercut into his stomach. I kicked him off the edge and moved to the last two.

They dropped their rifles since snipers weren't proficient in close-range battles and pulled out knives. I sneered and ran at them, gripping one's forearm when he swung downward at me. I twisted his arm until I felt it pop, and he let out a pained cry. I kicked him hard in the chest, and he hurtled to the ground below. The last guy, a large, burly man, charged first, his knife raised high. I got low and rolled behind him, sweep kicking at his calves. He grunted and fell, then got back up and whipped around. He caught me on the shoulder with his knife. Grimacing, I clutched my injury with my left hand. The soldier sneered and dashed at me, lunging forward to stab at my stomach. A mistake. Despite my injured shoulder, I utilized the power of the Triforce and hurtled over him, over his forward arm, and swung at the back of his head with my right fist. He fell forward on his face and groaned as the stone chipped away at the skin on his face. I easily knocked him out by kicking him in the temple.

Looking down over the edge of the wall, I saw that my allies had killed those who survived the ten-foot fall. I leapt down, being sure to make use of the footholds so my legs wouldn't collapse. Impa, Ravio, and Sheik were staring at me, dumbfounded. "What?" I asked.

"You just took out all those guys in thirty seconds!" Sheik exclaimed, refilling his pistol with another clip.

"Wait," Impa said, "could you be…?"

I shook my head, saying, "No time. Let's go."

I lifted a soldier's lifeless body and hurled it at the electrical currents, hoping that would destroy them. The body disintegrated, and the currents dissipated into nothingness, opening the way out of the courtyard.

We exited, emerging into another long corridor, which lead to the quarters of soldiers on either side. I followed Ravio, who knew the way out, to the left. We ran for a quarter mile, then turned to the right at an intersection; forward was a similar corridor, left was a wide road leading to the northern end of the castle, where the king's court was located. As we rounded to the right, the wide road led to a large drawbridge (which was about a thousand years out of style). The drawbridge was being raised, and I looked to the left to see General Ghirahim twisting the handle to raise it. His head snapped to our direction, and he snarled furiously.

I pointed my pistol at him and didn't hesitate to shoot. The bullet bounced off his black, metallic chest (contradicting to his light gray-tinted face, legs, and upper arms), scattering black and silver diamonds through the air. "Ugh!" Ghirahim yelled, glaring maliciously at the four of us. He snapped his fingers, then disappeared.

The drawbridge dropped. Just as more hordes of Hylian soldiers came rushing toward us, we exited the shadows of Hyrule Castle and emerged in the light of the outside world. The sun never felt so pleasant on my skin.

* * *

2156 HOURS.

CLOCK TOWN, TERMINA PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

54 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

A convoy had picked the four of us up from Hyrule Castle and drove us for six hours to the south. We entered Lorule in the northernmost province, Termina. At the very center stood a magnificent town, seemingly parallel to Castle Town, just not big enough to be its own province.

Clock Town's tallest skyscrapers were located in the center, revolving around an enormous clock tower, the city's capital. At the outskirts were the smaller buildings, such as the motels and one-family houses. Most residents lived in apartment complexes in the heart of the city, however.

I stood at the northern border of Clock Town, with the rolling hills of Termina Field behind me. I pulled my sunglasses off, the light of the moon reflecting off my eyes. My pistol hung at my waist, my FiPhone in my pocket. Sheik stood next to me, playing a tune on the Ocarina of Time.

"You gonna give that back?" I asked, turning to him.

He stopped playing and laughed, lowering the blue instrument. "Don't think so. You lost it."

I rolled my eyes. "How'd you get it back, anyway?"

"I found it and all your other possessions in the jailer's quarters." Sheik resumed his playing, and I listened to the mystifying tune. After he stopped, he lowered the instrument and stared at the dark sky. Stars peeked out from behind the clouds, twinkling.

"What song was that?"

"Hmm? Oh," Sheik replied, "it isn't really an ocarina song. It was made for a harp. It's called the Ballad of the Goddess."

"Which goddess?"

"Hylia."

I nodded, looking back up at the stars. A black car drove up to us from Clock Town, and it stopped ten feet in front of us. The passenger door opened and out came Ravio, carrying a briefcase. His hood hung lazily off the back of his head, and he strode over to us with a satisfied smirk. "Agent Link," he said, "you're being summoned."

"By whom?" I asked, looking from him to Sheik. The Sheikah tribesman shrugged, and I returned my gaze to Ravio.

"Someone important," he replied.

I remembered Proxi the Rumor Fairy saying something about Lorule having a leader in a position above generals Hilda and Ravio. Maybe he was the one summoning me?

"Okay," I said, donning my sunglasses again.

When Sheik didn't move, Ravio said, "You too, Sheik."

We got in the back seat of the car, with Ravio and the driver in the front. As we drove south through Clock Town, I stared, awestruck, at the beauty of the city. The bright lights and large buildings struck me the most. We drove for a good ten minutes, and eventually we got to the heart of the city.

The car came to a halt, and Ravio exited the car. "Follow me," he ordered me and Sheik.

We exited the vehicle out our respective doors, and I swiveled my head in awe, taking in the city's magnificence. Cabs and other vehicles whizzed by on the road, their headlights and reflections of the buildings' lights a blur. I looked at Ravio, who stood at the entrance to a building, a revolving door. I looked up and became dizzy, nearly stumbling at how high I craned my neck to see the clock tower. "Wow," I muttered stupidly.

"Yeah. Get over it." Ravio tapped his foot impatiently. "You don't want to keep him waiting, Agent Link."

I shrugged and followed Ravio inside the tower. The interior was just as magnificent as the exterior. The large room was painted yellow, almost golden. Columns with intricate carvings held the floor to the ceiling, velvet couches sat by the left wall, and a wooden podium stood at the right wall with a man behind it. Ravio showed him an ID badge attached to his purple robes, and the man nodded. He pressed a button, and the wall in front of us opened up to an elevator.

Sheik, Ravio, and I rode up the elevator for what seemed like five minutes. Finally the door opened to a large room. A… _familiar_ large room.

"What the hell!?" I exclaimed. "This looks just like the HBI headquarters!"

It did. It was a perfect replica, just with more desks. And straight ahead sat a man behind a desk in red robes, with white fur lining on the collar and sleeves. He had a thick white beard and a soft but strong expression. A golden necklace with the ancient Hylian crest emblem hung around his neck. "Ah, the Hyrule Bureau of Investigation agent has arrived."

I took slow steps forward, eyeing him suspiciously. I turned to look at Ravio, who wore a humored smirk. Next to him, Sheik just stared humbly at the floor.

"…Yes," I said uneasily.

The man stroked his beard. "It is great you have been released from the dark one's captivity. General Ravio has outdone himself. And, I must add, so has Agent Sheik."

Agent Sheik? Maybe he'd become one while I was imprisoned.

"Ah, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself."

My eyes widened. I realized who he was.

"I am Daphnes, leader of the Lorule resistance, and former king of Hyrule."

* * *

**Common pieces of symbolism I use are "light" "shadow," which mean "good" and "evil" respectively. Just clearing that up for anyone who thinks my writing's getting a little cryptic.**

**Lorule geography lesson: There are seven provinces. North- Termina (contains the city of Clock Town) / Northwest- Outset (coastal region) / Southwest- Koholint (coastal region) / South- Deku (related to Faron Woods) / Southeast- Seers (named after Valley of Seers in Hyrule Warriors) / East- Ikana (related to Hyrule's Lanayru Province) / Northeast- Snowhead (related to Snowpeak).**

**Just a reminder: If you haven't already, please tell me if you want this to be a trilogy or a very long story. Thanks.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	11. Wise Man of Koholint

**Two cliffhangers in a row… Sorry, guys and gals. But, fear not, I've returned (a bit too late). Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! Without you guys I wouldn't even be writing this story. So thanks again for your inspiration!**

**The end of this chapter was inspired by the song "The Funeral" by Band of Horses.**

**Song suggestions: Daphnes- "Dragon Theme" (SS OST) / Romance- "Zelda's Theme" (SS OST) / Midna, roof scene- "Midna's Desperation" (TP OST) / Robin- "Fi's Theme [Piano Lament]" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Wise Man of Koholint**

2230 HOURS.

CLOCK TOWER, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

56 DEGREES INSIDE.

"You're alive!?" I stared wide-eyed at the former king of Hyrule.

Daphnes chuckled. "It appears so."

"I thought… Ganondorf…" I trailed off, clapping my hands to my legs in confusion.

"Many do think that, yes. 'Tis a shame." He lowered his eyes to the ground. "I presume General Hilda and her companion will return soon."

_Zelda_…

"If you don't mind me asking, where were they?"

Daphnes stroked his beard and looked at me with a benign smile. "Hilda suggested that they transfer the Sheikah tribe to Lorule; her reasoning pointed to the fact that Impa had escaped. Therefore, they traveled to the Snowpeak Province aboard a LoCraft."

"Pardon?" I asked.

Ravio clapped a hand on my shoulder. "LoCrafts are gigantic hovercrafts invented here in Lorule. It is one of the few inventions that Hyrule has yet to steal from us." He withdrew his phone from his pocket and tapped the screen. A blue hologram appeared and rotated slowly in a circle, a three-dimensional image of a LoCraft. It was a relatively flat vehicle, perhaps to fly stealthily through the air, and propelled upward by jets underneath its flat surface.

"Now that you are here, Agent Link," Daphnes said, "you will need to be properly housed, clothed, and fed, etcetera. A block away from here is an apartment complex, named 'Anubis,' if my memory serves me." He looked at Ravio for confirmation, and the purple-haired general nodded. Daphnes chuckled and continued. "Hilda mentioned that you and her companion are quite friendly, as well. I can arrange a situation where you two will live together once again."

I laughed uneasily and rubbed the back of my head, replying, "Yeah, uh… that'd be great. Thank you."

"My pleasure."

A ding sounded behind me, and I turned around to see the elevator open. Impa and Hilda strode out of the elevator, but a third pair of footsteps followed behind the wall of two women. "My leader," Hilda said with a slight bow.

With a small smile and raise of the chin, Impa said in a commanding but respectful tone, "I am Impa, leader of the Sheikah tribe. I hereby announce our alliance with the Lorule Provinces."

The former king dipped his head in a respectful nod, then sat up a bit to try to see who stood behind the two women.

Unusually, Hilda smiled and stepped away, revealing the girl behind her. There stood the beautiful blonde, Zelda. At first her eyes were on the king, but they drifted. Our eyes locked.

I didn't care if I was in the presence of royalty; I ran up to her and caught her in my embrace, holding her tight, not wanting to let go. Her arms gripped my tunic with a longing desire, as if I'd been gone for years on end. She tried to speak but choked up.

"Ahem." I looked up to see Ravio eyeing me, annoyed, and I gave him am angry glare in return.

I released my grip on Zelda, but kept one arm wrapped around her shoulder as we faced Daphnes. "I um…" Zelda began timidly, "I'm Zelda… the prodigy from Castle Town."

Daphnes' furry eyebrows were lifted high on his forehead, his eyes wide in shock. The white beard protruded from his agape mouth as he tried to speak but dared not to. I wondered why he was acting so strangely, but I kept my mouth shut. Then, finally, a single tear fell from an eye, and he stood up, raising his arms.

"Zelda," he said, wiping the tear away. "…My daughter."

* * *

2300 HOURS.

APT. 10A, ANUBIS COMPLEX, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

62 DEGREES INSIDE.

Room 10A. Shaped just like 9B in Hyrule. Shaped, furnished, wired, everything, just like 9B_-_\- with the exception of our sleeping quarters; the king had thought I was to live alone. Even the clock tower HQ, where Daphnes and his top agents did their work, was identical to the HBI headquarters. I had a doppelganger who looked just like me. Zelda did too.

What the hell.

And to top it all off…

"So you're a princess," I said, looking down at Zelda, who sat on the couch.

She sighed heavily and rubbed her eyes. "…I'm just as confused as you are. Maybe more so."

I rubbed the back of my head, sighing. "What does this mean? When we overthrow Ganon, what will become of the kingdom? You and your father will live in the castle? What will become of us?"

"Link, stop!" she said loudly. She took a deep breath and put her palms to her face. "You're getting too ahead of yourself." Another deep breath. "…And, Link, I won't leave you. The short time you were in prison felt like a lifetime to me, and I felt useless. I… realized…" Tears began to fall.

I rushed to her side, joining her on the couch and cradling her in my arms. She lay her head on my shoulder, sitting on my lap in a lazy fetal position. I wiped the tears off and kissed her forehead. "Hey, hey… I'm here now."

She nodded and looked deep into my ocean blue eyes, taking in sporadic and restless breaths. "I… realized… that…" I noticed a tiny corner of her mouth curve up to a smile, a tiny, but beautiful smile. "…I love you."

The smile grew a bit, and as she looked expectantly at me, it became contagious. I matched her smile and kissed her gently and passionately on her soft lips, fueling it with my painful time apart from her in captivity. When I finally pulled away, I brushed a strand of golden hair back behind her ear and said, "I love you too."

We had only known each other for a month.

But I loved her.

There was no doubt about it.

As we sat there, cradled in each other's arms, my eyelids became heavy. I shut them for a bit, resting my head against Zelda's. Deciding against sleeping in my current neck-stiffening position, I whispered into Zelda's ear, "We should probably get some sleep."

Zelda hummed in reply, her eyelids shut too. I stood up, keeping Zelda lifted in my arms, and took her to my bed; I'd have no trouble sleeping on the couch. I gently bent my knees and lowered her to the bed, then pulled the covers up to her neck. She smiled, then opened her eyes, keeping me from moving.

"Yes?"

Cheeks tinted pink, Zelda said softly, "I, um… thought you were…"

Raising my eyebrows without knowing I did so, I felt the heat rise to my face. I weighed my options: sleep on the uncomfortable leather couch, or sleep in a soft bed next to the girl of my dreams. _Tough one_.

I smiled, asking, "Would you like me to?"

Her cheeks flushed, and she fumbled for words. After battling with herself mentally, Zelda simply nodded, her face a rosy red.

I chuckled and made my way over to the twin-sized bed, lowering myself to the side away from the wall. Zelda scooted a bit closer to the wall, giving me some room. I slipped under the covers and lay on my side, smiling warmly at Zelda. She returned it, and I shifted onto my back to pull her closer. She lay her head on my shoulder, I wrapped my arm around hers. A soft, pale hand lay still on my chest, warmth emanating from the fingertips.

The bed being only twin sized, we had to sleep in that position so both of us could fit. But also because we enjoyed it. My intentions were clear: I was not sleeping next to her out of lust; no, I simply wanted to sleep next to her in the most innocent manner possible.

Feeling for once in my life, at ease, I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

0640 HOURS.

ROOF, ANUBIS COMPLEX, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

55 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

A slight breeze ruffled my dirty blonde hair as I stood atop the roof, overlooking the city. My leg bent and foot rested on the ledge, eyes studying the buildings in my field of view. The buildings grew taller as they progressed to the north, in the direction of the epitome of skyscrapers: Clock Tower. Citizens of Lorule thought the magnificent landmark was just that, a landmark. Its importance as the capital of the rebellion has remained in secrecy.

Many people crowded the streets below. Weaving in and out of pedestrians like seamstresses, they hadn't an idea of the severity of this nation. Without it, every single resident would be brought under the control of Ganondorf, and all hope would be lost. Most came to Lorule for job opportunities, as I was told. Others came to flee from Ganon's reign. But just about every citizen had one similarity with another: they were each fully devoted to the Lorulean cause.

As the dark sky began to be painted by the yellow light of the sun, a jingling charm was heard. I looked to the source, a large screen atop a nearby building to the north. It hung thirty feet up from the ground, so I had to lean over the edge to see it. Similar screens were displayed on nearby buildings.

Yellow Hylian text displayed on the screen, reading:

HYRULE CASTLE INFILTRATION: SUCCESS.

A NEWLY-RECRUITED AGENT ESCAPED FROM CAPTIVITY IN HYRULE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF TWO SOLDIERS.

ADDITIONALLY, THE LEADER OF SHEIKAH TRIBE HAS ESCAPED AND BROUGHT TO CLOCK TOWN.

The text shifted, and another chime rang through the still air.

ESCORTING THE SHEIKAH TO LORULE: SUCCESS.

THE MAJORITY OF THE SHEIKAH TRIBE HAD BEEN ESCORTED FROM HYRULE'S SNOWPEAK PROVINCE TO LORULE'S SNOWHEAD PROVINCE.

ADDITIONALLY, THE SHEIKAH TRIBE'S LEADER HAS DECLARED THEIR ALLIANCE WITH LORULE.

The text shifted again.

TOTAL RECRUITS: 62.

3 HYLIAN PRODIGIES.

1 SHEIKAH GENERAL.

58 SHEIKAH TRIBESMEN.

The text disappeared. Then, more words appeared, bolder and larger. The screen displayed:

THE MEMORY OF THE GOLDEN KINGDOM HAS VANISHED, BUT ITS LEGEND SURVIVES ON THE WIND'S BREATH.

O, HOLY GODDESSES, LEAD US TO OUR IMPENDING TRIUMPH, THE RETURN OF LIGHT, AND THE EVIL KING'S DEATH!

What could that mean? And why was it bolder and in larger font?

"Ah," said a foreign voice, "you have taken notice in Lorule's national anthem."

I turned around, seeing a fairly attractive woman near my age. She was a Twili, in fact, with fiery orange hair that hung down below her chin, tied together at the ends in between her practically-exposed breasts. The humanoid had both pitch black and pale blue skin. The pale blue started below her breasts, then widened around her navel to her hips. Her right leg was also blue, but her left was covered by a cloak that hung from a belt around her waist. She wore no foot protection; her feet were bare except for a thick ankle bracelet. The Twili's arms were black, her forearms covered with intricate green patterns from the Twilight Realm, and her upper arms cloaked. The black cloak hung down to her ankles, black on the outside and green on the inside. The cloak's hood was pointed at the top and didn't conceal her face, only the back of her head.

The woman's face was also pale blue, with large and fierce red eyes; the whites in her eyes were replaced by the color yellow. She had dark eyebrows and purple lips. A silver headdress hung from her forehead and dipped down to her nose. The woman was beautiful; no, actually, more mysteriously attractive.

I didn't trust the Twili race. Never had; Zant was the only one I'd met.

"Greetings, Hylian prodigy." She spoke smoothly and eloquently, her lips barely separating. "I am Midna."

"…Greetings returned," I replied after awhile. "I'm Link."

She raised her head slightly, keeping her eyes locked with mine. A tiny smile curved at her dark lips, and her expression reminded me of that of Impa's; she'd often give that expression when she was proud, but didn't want to show it. "Link…" she said. "Hyrule's most wanted."

"The one and only," I said. Her smile twitched into a larger one, then returned to her refined smirk. "Now what does the 'national anthem' mean?"

"The 'golden kingdom' mentioned in the anthem refers to Hyrule before it was overtaken, as I am told." Midna walked toward me, and a ray of light hit my back so she stood in my shadow. "The King of Evil has manipulated the thoughts of the people, so they had forgotten the real Hyrule. But the kingdom's legacy lives on, right here in Lorule."

I nodded, then turned my back to her and looked down over the city. "What do you do here?"

Midna stood beside me, surveying Clock Town as well. "I am an agent."

"An agent?"

Midna nodded. "You are not alone, Agent Link. You are surrounded by allies, but in balance you are surrounded by enemies. Choose wisely, Farore's chosen one."

My eyes darted to my right hand, which lay on the ledge, the Triforce of Courage clearly visible. I darted to cover it with my other hand, but Midna only hummed in meager laughter.

"Ah, please do not attempt to hide your power from me. Others, maybe; but I am an ally."

I sighed and looked back down at the streets. After awhile, I asked, "Who are you, anyway?"

"I am Midna," she replied bluntly.

"No. Who _are_ you?"

She sighed. "I assume large quantities of information can be overwhelming over the course of twenty-four hours."

"I cannot trust you until you tell me who you are."

"…You are familiar with Zant?" she asked. I nodded. "He was the ursurper king of the Twilight Realm. Zant was not the rightful heir to the throne; he conquered his way to domination. Proceeding this, Zant left the Twilight Realm, and no one knew why. Of course, this gave the first ruler of the realm the opportunity to retrieve the throne, but instead, she pursued Zant, for wherever he went, a trail of death and destruction followed. The Mirror of Twilight, the device that connects the light and dark worlds, was shattered, but nonetheless, she entered the light world. And sure enough, he had joined forces with Ganondorf, the reincarnation of the evil Demon King. Their combined strength would surely outmatch her, so she fled."

How did this have to do with Midna? Without meeting her eyes, I asked, "…Where is she now?"

"Standing here next to you."

"You're the Twilight Queen?" I asked.

"_Princess_. The Twilight Princess."

Man, big day. I'd met two princesses.

"…Well, your highness, how did you manage to get into the light world without the Mirror of Twilight?"

"Please, refrain from referring to me as 'your highness,' as I do not rule you. You may call me Midna." She took a breath, then nodded her head in my direction. "To respond to your inquiry, I possess a number of powers that others of my race do not. I cannot delve into detail any further."

I didn't press the subject. Instead I looked up at the clear yellow sky, noticing clouds forming overhead. A storm was nigh. The sun moved behind a cloud, throwing shadows onto the roof.

Midna backed up, taking smooth and silent steps backward. As she did so, I followed her with my eyes, curious. "Farewell, Agent Link. We will meet again."

Midna continued backwards until her figure was lost in the shadows, and she disappeared. I was left alone on the roof.

* * *

1215 HOURS.

MAIN STREET, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

58 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

I had promised Zelda I'd take her out to explore the city someday. With nothing too important to do, I decided that today would be a good day to do so.

We strolled southward down Main Street, our fingers intertwined. The sidewalks were fairly large due to the immense population; we'd no trouble with claustrophobia. As we rounded a corner, Zelda pointed at the building to our left. It had large windows, and through them we saw people sitting down in booths or tables, dining. A green door sat at the entrance, and above it was a neon sign that read: CAFÉ.

"Let's eat in there," Zelda suggested.

I smiled. "Okay."

The café was petite and rectangular, with a counter and a waitress behind it. She wore a simple purple apron, and she smiled at the two of us. "Welcome! Please, sit where you'd like. We will be right with you."

"Thank you," I said to the waitress. We seated ourselves in the corner table, where the windows could be viewed through on either wall. I pulled Zelda's chair out, and when she sat, I joined her.

Zelda smiled at me, and I became lost in the beauty of her eyes. In her smooth, soft voice, she said, "This place is nice."

"You like Lorule?"

"Actually I meant the restaurant," Zelda said with a smile. Then she lowered her voice and leaned in a tad. "I still don't trust anyone here."

"Not even Hilda?"

"Especially not Hilda!" she whispered loudly. "She left me when we were just kids! And now she's only coming back to _recruit_ me, or whatever… Not because I was her friend."

I the spark in Zelda's eye faded, and I grabbed her hand, gently rubbing it. "I'm really sorry," I offered, hoping I could say more to make her happier.

Her eyes lowered to the table, murmuring, "Thanks," very softly.

I lifted her hand up with mine and kissed it softly, reassuringly. "I love you, Zelda."

She offered me a half smile. "I love you too."

The waitress came over then, carrying a few items. "Here are the menus." She handed one to me and one to Zelda. "I'll be back in a bit to take your order." With a smile, she moved on to the next table.

I flipped through the menu, but I wasn't too hungry. "What will you have?" I asked Zelda.

"I don't know yet… This pumpkin soup looks good," she said, her eyes glued to the menu.

"Get whatever you want. I'm buying," I said with a grin.

She smiled back. "Thanks, Link."

If only I'd withdrawn all my rupees from the bank before I was imprisoned… then I'd have triple what I had now. In the bank in Hyrule, I had seventy thousand rupees in the bank. And that was considered an average salary among Castle Town's filthy rich entrepreneurs. Now I had a decent twenty thousand, a goddess-damned fortune to the poor folk in Ordonia, but close to nothing to those in Castle Town. King Daphnes had offered to help me store my rupees in the Clock Tower, which also served as a bank, apparently. Currently I had three hundred rupees in my pocket.

The waitress returned. "What could I get for you?"

"Um, I'll have the pumpkin soup and a coffee, please," Zelda said.

"And I'll have the same," I said.

The waitress jotted down our order, then left.

"Hey, Link?" Zelda asked.

"Yeah?"

She sighed, then looked deep into my eyes. "What's this really about? …Why are you really doing all this?"

My eyes lowered to my hands on the table. I couldn't just say it's the right thing to do; every hero has his personal desires. I sighed and spoke quietly. "…It's not just that I want Ganondorf dead. And you've probably guessed that." I propped my elbow on the tabletop and put my hand in my hair. "I miss my home. Not the poverty, not the plague. The people. Ordonians aren't swayed by money or fame. They actually care about you." I paused, reliving my past. Rusl, his son Colin, and Mayor Bo were my closest friends. Rusl had often taken care of me when I was a child. Bo had taught me how to fight before my training as a discovered prodigy. "And one day… after a few kids took the exams, the whole village became infected with the plague."

Zelda grabbed my hand and rubbed it gently as I took a deep breath. She offered me a sorrowful and understanding expression before I continued.

"I want to save them. They're the closest I have to a family. I know it seems impossible; but I have a feeling this is Ganondorf's doing. As if this whole plague issue is just to get rid of the useless."

"What do you mean?" Zelda asked softly, her eyes shining wet.

I took another deep breath. "Just think: have you ever met anyone who had contracted the plague?" I figured Zelda would say no; most people in her hometown were too rich and smart to contract it.

"…Yes," she said. "At the orphanage, there was a boy who disappeared one day. When I asked Mr. Ingo, our teacher, he said that the boy had the plague and was brought into isolation."

"How did he do on his trial?" I followed up.

"I glanced at his arm one day and saw a 216… He failed."

I nodded. "Did he have very much money?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. None of us from the orphanage did."

"Exactly. That boy failed his exams, just like most everyone at Ordon. He mysteriously contracts the plague just after failing. What does this tell you?" I leaned my elbows on the table.

Her eyes widened. "...You're right. They're giving the plague to the people who flunk because they're useless…"

I nodded. "And since he didn't have any money, he couldn't purchase a cure. So he's… probably dead by now."

A tear fell down Zelda's cheek. "What kind of tyrant… would…"

I cupped her face with my right hand, meeting her eyes. "You'll be okay." And she leaned in, gently kissing my lips.

"I love you."

"I love you too," I replied. "I promise that whatever happens… I'll protect you. You'll be okay."

"…Can you say the same for yourself?"

I fumbled with my fingers, looking down at the table. "…I wish I could."

* * *

1820 HOURS.

KOHOLINT PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

58 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Far away from the vast city of Clock Town, I stood on a grassy hill, overlooking the city skyline to the north, and the Koholint Beach to the west. The sun was low to the horizon, painting the sky orange and yellow. Behind me stood a cozy house made of stone and wood, with two trees next to it. On the porch of the house sat a man with a pleasant smile on his face, rocking back and forth on his chair, whistling a merry tune. He looked… at peace.

"Go see the wise man," Ravio had instructed me an hour earlier. "He lives atop a hill in the Koholint Province. You'll find his information useful."

And there I stood, with Zelda at my side, trudging up the hill to meet the wise man. When we came into his view, he simply nodded in our direction, then waved for us to come closer.

"I beg your pardon," I said, "but are you the 'wise man'?"

"Is that what they call me these days?" the man asked, his eyebrows raising, forming wrinkles on his forehead. "Well, to formally introduce myself, I am Robin. Please, join me on the porch. I have two empty seats right by the door."

We climbed up the stairs onto the porch, sitting down in our seats across from Robin. "This is Zelda," i said, motioning to her, "and I'm Link. General Ravio insisted we visit you."

He simply nodded in reply. "I have heard of you. Your names have been carried along by the wind."

My eyes instinctively drifted to the back of my right hand, which radiated with a faint golden light. I glanced at Zelda, seeing the same light appear from underneath her shirt, where the pendant containing the shards of the Triforce of Wisdom hung down to.

"The goddesses' chosen ones," Robin said with a smile, resuming the steady beat of his rocking. "I've been waiting a very long time for your arrival." Out of his pocket, he withdrew a small, glowing shard, then showed it to us, holding it by his thumb and forefinger. "I believe this is rightfully yours."

He flipped it upward, causing my heart to leap. Thankfully Zelda caught it before it could fall, and I sighed in relief, sinking back into my chair.

Robin laughed heartily. "You're face is priceless right now, Agent Link."

I smiled uneasily at Robin, then returned my attention to Zelda, who was fitting the third shard to the relic. It clung to the other pieces like a magnet, glowing brighter. "How did you find this?" Zelda asked.

"The king had it in his possession when he fled his kingdom, but was being targeted by the dark one's servants. So, he bequeathed it to me, as to throw off the enemy." Robin smoothed back his dark gray hair with one hand, his smile never leaving his face.

I said, "But, sir_-_-"

"_Robin_," he corrected.

"…But, _Robin_," I continued, "isn't magic dead?"

His face grew more serious, but a faint grin remained. "Magic is very much alive, young one. You just need to know when to use it, and when not to."

I nodded, beginning to understand the balance of the world's powers. At times, I figured, technology would be less useful than magic… but at what times would that be the case?

Robin leaned his head back contentedly, closing his eyes. "I have lived here for generations, far before Lorule had been inhabited. I watch over the two nations, but alas," he motioned to his body, "I am too old to take action myself. Instead, I waited to bestow my wisdom upon the one man who can return Hyrule to its former glory, the reincarnated spirit of the hero…" Robin opened his eyes and looked at me with a wide grin. "…And here you are."

My lip twitched to a tiny smile, but on the inside I was worried. "Doesn't it seem mad for me to take on Hyrule by myself…?" I said quietly, scratching the back of my head.

He chuckled, then replied, "You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."

After allowing Robin's words to sink in, I looked at Zelda, the live of my life, and suddenly I was infused with a newfound strength.

* * *

**I'm including Robin Williams in this story because he was a great man who loved The Legend if Zelda series (he also named his daughter "Zelda"). If you didn't know already, he has passed away; so here is my tribute to him. Robin will be a reoccurring character, a wise and peaceful man living a simple life atop his hill. At the beginning of this story, I had said I'd only include characters from Zelda games, but there's a petition that'd been going on for awhile to include him as a NPC in Zelda U. Here's to hoping he gets included. Thoughts?**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	12. The Horror of Hyrule

**I've decided to make this just a long story, not a trilogy. If I feel like it, after this story is complete, I may write a oneshot sequel to this (or a short multi-chapter fic).**

**Anyways, thank you all for the reviews, follows, and favorites! Without you, I wouldn't be writing this story.**

**Song suggestions: Romance- "Zelda's Theme" (SS OST) / Drama- "Forest Temple" (TP OST) / Haunted Wasteland- "Hidden Village" (TP OST) / Action [includes fight scene at Haunted Wasteland]- "Eclipse of the Moon" (HW OST) / Ending- "Temple of Hylia" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

**Chapter 12: The Horror of Hyrule**

0815 HOURS.

ROBIN'S HILL, KOHOLINT PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE

54 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Robin had offered us hospitality last night, and we accepted; the trip back to Clock Town was long. He only had one sleeping bag, though, so Zelda and I had to squeeze in and lay on our sides. I didn't mind; Zelda had been close to me. We slept outside in the grass since it was such a beautiful, starry night, and with our bodies pressed together it wasn't cold.

In the morning when I awoke, Robin was sitting on his rocking chair, as if he'd never left. I returned my attention to the sleeping Zelda, resting my head atop hers. I felt her cheekbones raise to a smile in her slumber. Feeling at peace, I closed my eyes once again and wrapped my free arm around her waist. Zelda stirred, shifting comfortably in the crook I'd formed, humming softly as she backed up against me.

I enjoyed holding her and feeling so close; my heart felt a foreign sensation because of it. Still, I welcomed the feeling. It was nice. Calming.

All was quiet, save the morning birds chirping and the small animals chattering. Robin's wooden chair creaked in a monotonous pattern with its slow, back-and-forth rocking.

Zelda awoke then, and she turned her head to meet my eyes. I smiled, whispering, "Good morning." She smiled in reply, her smooth, gentle lips meeting mine.

"Ah, you have awakened!" Robin chirped, clasping his hands together in joy. "Please, adjourn to my porch."

I squirmed out of the sleeping bag with minor difficulty, Zelda giggling at my struggle. Once I was out, I stood up and stretched my arms over my head, then offered Zelda my hand. She took it and exited the sleeping bag, standing up with me. We climbed the wooden steps up to Robin's porch and took our rightful seats we'd sat in the night before.

"Now," Robin said, "while I enjoyed your visit, I suggest you return to Clock Town. You are probably being expected."

And so we left Robin's humble abode to return to the headquarters of Lorule.

* * *

1100 HOURS.

CLOCK TOWER, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

63 DEGREES INSIDE.

As the elevator opened, our eyes met with a surprising sight. Daphnes stood behind Ravio, who was typing furiously on his holographic keyboard, which was linked to the gigantic monitor on the east wall. Various widows popped up, some containing lines of code, some containing images. At another desk sat Hilda, shouting orders into a microphone and earpiece. Across from her sat Midna, the mysterious Twilight Princess I'd met the other day. She put so much pressure on the pen she was writing with that it was on the brink of snapping in half. Sheik stood a ways away from the chaos, observing quietly.

"No, no, _no_!" Hilda shouted, slamming her palms on the desk. "I told you to get those samples from Ordon Village!" A distorted buzzing came in reply, a male's voice. "You were intercepted!? Give details, soldier!"

Midna stood up and pointed at Ravio. "Get their conversationon on the monitor! Record every word!"

As the crackled voice was being understood only by General Hilda, words were being displayed on the monitor, large enough for me and Zelda to read:

SOLDIER:_ General, we traveled through the Haunted Wasteland, the area between Hyrule and Lorule, and a dozen demons intercepted us!_

"More details!" Hilda yelled.

SOLDIER:_ They were all black, had dark masks, and crawled on the ground after_ _us__-_-_ Oh goddesses, spare me! Here comes another!_

A scream caused Hilda to rip out her earpiece. Rubbing her forehead, she looked up at the monitor for any sign that the soldier was alive. The screen read:

CONTACT LOST.

"Damn it all!" Ravio cursed, stomping his boot on the tile floor. "Who could've caught them? The Haunted Wasteland is aptly named; it's a _wasteland_! Nothing inhabits it!"

"Incorrect," Midna said. "Though, you are correct when you say it is aptly named. It is haunted, as travelers have claimed."

Finally someone noticed me and Zelda standing quietly in the elevator. Daphnes waved for us to join them. "Come, Agents Link and Zelda. We have a lot to discuss."

Midna turned to me, mysteriously raising her chin. Hilda kept her eyes glued to the desk while she spoke. "Link, Zelda, we have a case to crack."

"If my assumptions are correct," Midna began, "these unknown attackers may be the evil hybrids."

"Evil hybrids?" I repeated.

Midna shook her head. "Apologies. I shouldn't assume such a ludicrous idea."

I looked at Zelda, confusion written on my face; her expression was likewise. "Clearly, low-rank soldiers are not suitable for this mission," Ravio said. "Agent Link, we have a task for you and Agent Sheik."

Sheik raised his eyebrows uneasily. "…What kind of task?"

Hilda sighed. "Initially, we sent a band of soldiers to enter Hyrule's Ordonia Province, an area known for its plague victims. As the band's captain recounted, they were intercepted before entering the kingdom."

"By what!?" Sheik demanded. "I must know what we are going up against!"

"Unfortunately we do not know," Daphnes said.

"Therefore," began General Ravio, "your mission is to travel to the Ordonia Province."

"…Aboard a LoCraft?" Sheik asked hopefully.

"Negative. You are to drive with a convoy. That way you'll be able to find out what happened to the missing soldiers."

* * *

1300 HOURS.

HAUNTED WASTELAND.

DOMAIN: UNCLAIMED.

86 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

I held the steering wheel of a military truck, leading the convoy of six others behind me. Sheik sat in the passenger seat, his eyes surveying the barren desert. He fumbled nervously with his Lorulean blaster (identical to Hylian blaster, aside from the tracking device). As we came up a sandy hill, I slammed on the brakes, and the rest of the convoy followed suit.

Lying in sporadic locations across the vast dunes were the corpses of the M.I.A. Lorulean soldiers. "Holy shit!" Sheik exclaimed, pushing the door open and hopping down into the sand. Armed with a blaster, replaceable gun battery, and three sticky grenades, I did the same, followed by the soldiers in the other trucks.

I clicked my tongue, activating the microphone attached to an earpiece that I'd use to communicate with Hilda. "We've found the missing soldiers!"

"Give details!" came the reply.

I took slow and steady steps to the nearest corpse, my gun drawn. The deceased soldier had three lines running diagonally across his chest, deep wounds oozing black sludge. The man's eyes were permanently wide in the horror he'd faced before his inevitable death. "Claw marks across the chest," I said. "There's a black substance coming from the cuts."

"Can you identify it?" Hilda asked.

I knelt down, inspecting the body. "Negative. Completely foreign."

No reply.

"We will continue to_-_-" I cut myself off, eyes growing wide as I turned around.

Over the dune came a pack of six beasts. Black, horrifying creatures crawled toward us on their arms and hind legs, clawing at the sand with their long, bony fingers and toes. Ribs protruded from the ravenous beasts' gaunt bodies. On their stomachs and backs were intricate red patterns of the Twilight Realm, resembling those of Midna and Zant. Dark stone masks covered their faces, with pitch-black tentacles extending from the tops and bottoms of their faces.

"Din, give me strength!" cried a soldier, withdrawing the gun from his holster.

"Hilda! Unidentified beasts are advancing!" I shouted into the microphone.

"Describe!"

"_They're black_!"

A brief pause. _Come on, come on,_ I thought. The beasts were advancing at a decent rate. "Midna was correct; these are Ganon's hybrids!"

"What the hell are those!?" I demanded, pointing my blaster at the forthcoming creatures.

"Use your blaster! They are weak to lasers; bullets don't phase them," Hilda instructed.

I clicked my tongue again, deactivating the microphone. "Help me, dear Hylia," I prayed under my breath. Then I shouted to my allies, "Everyone use your blasters!" The soldiers got closer to the beasts, guns drawn.

The lead beast dashed forward, barreling through a wall of soldiers. They fell to the sand, struggling to get back up. The leader was larger, and it was headed straight at me. I snarled and shot five times at the beast, and it screeched in pain. Sparks flew off its mask as it recoiled from my attack, and I dashed toward it. The creature swiped its arm over my head and I ducked, sliding through the sand and between its legs. As I slid, I shot upwards at the beast, landing hits along its torso and stomach. It screamed in agony, then sprinted at me with the speed of a horse. It lunged upward, then came barreling down with its claws directed at my skull. I dodged, but the claws managed to graze my side.

The five other creatures met with my allies, who yelled and ran for cover. Meanwhile, Sheik was faring well against the attackers, shooting out of his left hand and throwing Sheikah daggers from his right. He buried a dagger in the crook underneath a beast's mask, spilling black sludge on the sand. The creature wailed, then fell to the ground, lifeless.

I tuned out the roaring pain in my side, dodging the leader's attack. I rolled around the creature, and once behind it, pulled the pin on a sticky grenade and hurled it at the beast, sprinting away with increased adrenaline. "Cover!" I yelled to my allies. I lunged forward and knelt beside a truck as the confused beast tried to shake the object off. I covered my ears as a huge explosion rattled my eardrums and temporarily blinded me. The remaining four live creatures screeched in horror at the sight, recoiling at the presence of the light.

"Link, get over here!" Sheik shouted.

Standing up, I saw Sheik, who was surrounded by three beasts. He spun in a circle, deciding which to face. Running to his aid, I shot three beams at the back of the closest beast. The creature screeched and fell on its face, and the remaining two creatures turned their attention to me. Sheik took the opportunity to drive his know into the neck of a beast, and it joined its companion on the ground.

The other creature came bounding toward me at a fast pace, snarling. I stood my ground, shooting lasers at the creature. Its mask deflected most, but others struck its arms. The beast persisted, leaping up in the air. I shot its underbelly once or twice, but the creature pounced. I immediately tapped the blue button on my tactical belt, forming a weak force field. The creature bounced off, screeching. Suddenly my right hand throbbed, and I looked at it to see the Triforce of Courage resonating brightly. I extended my hand in the direction of the creature, and it wailed plaintively as golden light emerged from my hand. I took the blaster and shot at the beast, and instead of a normal laser, a golden beam of light shot out of the blaster, straight into the heart of the dark beast.

I turned around to see the last creature attacking the band of soldiers. "Fall back!" I yelled. "We've got to_-_-" Stopping myself from speaking, I felt the unbearable pain of the wound that the beasts' leader had inflicted upon my side. I clutched the wound and undid my tunic, viewing the injury. Blackness oozed out of it.

"You heard the man! Fall back to your vehicles! We're continuing to Hyrule!" Sheik ordered. I limped back to the main truck, opened the door, and threw myself in. Once Sheik joined me and our doors were closed, I let out an agonizing cry. "What's wrong with you?" the Sheikah asked.

I pointed to my injury.

"Damn! Okay, you're in no shape to drive; I'll take over from here." Sheik undid his mask and cap, revealing his hardened facial features. "Take this and cover the wound."

I took it, crawling over to the passenger seat. Using his mask as a tourniquet, I secured a knot and held it tight against my injury. Sheik pounded the gas pedal, and we sped through the dunes away from the savage creatures. Looking backward, I saw five of the six military trucks behind us; clearly the others had been killed in the battle. But what really caught my eye was the stampeding herd of the same creatures headed straight for us. Fortunately, they were too slow for our trucks; unfortunately, more and more came by the second.

And I could've _sworn_ I'd seen one emerge from within the corpse of a fallen soldier.

* * *

1425 HOURS.

ORDON VILLAGE, ORDONIA PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: HYRULE.

58 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Gloomy overcast shifted by at a lethargic pace, darkening the village I'd once lived in. As I exited the military truck, spots formed in my eyesight. Blinking many times, I checked my wound; it didn't look any better. I trudged along the dirt path leading from the outskirts of the province, my eyes came upon civilization.

"There it is," Sheik said.

I nodded. Sheik and I were the only ones who were to infiltrate the province and steal the plague samples from the victims; after all, I knew the area the most, and Sheik had the next highest authority and skill. Not like we'd need to fight here, or anything.

"Let's… get going," I said, holding back a cough.

"You sure you're able to do this?"

Beads of sweat formed on my forehead. "I'm… fine."

As we entered the village, familiar sights came into view. There was the pond to the north, where I used to fish. The ranch to the east, where I had herded goats once in a while for a quick paycheck. And to the west was Mayor Bo's house, and not too far away from it stood the hospital.

We hadn't worn any disguises; I wore my usual forest-green attire and Sheik wore his Sheikah garb, just without the mask.

I pushed open the doors, and we entered the hospital. Mayor Bo sat at a patient's bedside, who looked sickly pale. Bo shed a tear and quickly wiped it away, then looked up at the two of us.

"L-Link!" he cried, clapping his hands together. He stood up. "The shadow agent lives!"

The shadow agent? Pipit had called me that…

Every patient's eyes looked at me, and those who we able to brought their hands together in meager celebration. I looked closely at the one who Bo stood beside.

"Ilia?"

She turned her head to view me and smiled weakly. "H-hello… Link…" She broke into a fit of coughing, then blinked back tears. "…Why are y-you here?"

I looked at Sheik. "We're here for plague samples," he said. "We're going to end the plague in Hyrule."

"But, mister," Mayor Bo argued, "there's always going to be another outbreak!"

Sheik shook his head. "Not this time." He sighed. "You're just going to have to trust us."

"Now, may we have a few samples?" I asked.

"O-of course," Bo said. He darted to a cupboard, where he had vials of small amounts of a yellow substance. He took out three and put corks in them, secured them tightly, then handed them to us. "May the goddesses be with you, Link."

"And you." I nodded at him, and I strode out of the hospital. I'd hoped that our presence would remain in secrecy, but there was already talk of it.

As we strode down the trail, I heard, "Look, there he is! The shadow agent lives!"

They thought I had died.

When we entered the vehicle, Sheik said, "Looks like you're pretty popular with the people." We began driving.

"I… don't know why," I said, coughing subtly. "I didn't think they… knew that I was… part of the resistance."

"You kidding? Ever since you were arrested, there's been talk of Ganon being overthrown. Before I came to break you out, all I saw on the buildings' walls was graffiti. You know what it said? 'Shadow agent will save us'."

I sighed, struggling to form words. "But why… do they… call me... shadow agent?"

Sheik laughed. "Lorule is often referred to as the 'Shadow Kingdom,' as it was back in the days of yore. And since you're Lorule's new agent, you're the shadow agent."

"…_Hyrule_… is the _real_… shadow kingdom."

That's all I could say before the pain in my side suddenly became intolerable. I let out an agonizing cry, and I blacked out.

* * *

2350 HOURS.

LOCATION UNKNOWN.

DOMAIN UNKNOWN.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

My body was burning up. The pain in my side had all but subsided; even the slightest touch made it roar in pain. I looked left and right, but my vision was black. Was I blind? I frantically searched for the outline of my hand in front of me, and thankfully I could see it.

As I lay flat on a bed, my mind wandered to peaceful thoughts of Zelda to distract myself from the pain. Her beautiful face, nicely-scented hair, her soft lips.

Coming back to reality, a more pressing thought came to mind: where the hell was I?

As if on cue, lights flickered on, and I could see that I was in a hospital room, about twenty feet by twenty feet. The door opened, and in strode a doctor, with Sheik following close behind. "Ah, you're awake," said the doctor. "Judging by your wound, that was… unexpected."

_Unexpected that I'd wake up?_

"I am Dr. Don Gero. You must be… Link." The doctor had to flip a page on his clipboard to see my name.

I nodded, my eyes drifting to Sheik. "Uh… what happened?"

Dr. Gero sighed, then motioned to Sheik. "I'll let him explain it. For now, I must depart." He left.

"Sheik, where the hell am I?"

He took a seat across from my bed. "Clock Town," he said. "After you passed out, I realized we couldn't drive back to Lorule; those evil demons would attack us again. So I borrowed your microphone and called for a LoCraft. It flew us here in record time."

"What's… wrong with me?" I asked, stifling a cough and taking in sporadic breaths during my speech. "What did… the doctor… say?"

Sheik sighed. "He doesn't know your case yet. But he thinks it's curable; you'll likely live." He looked at the door, then back at me. "We also discovered something… About the plague samples."

Interested, I cocked my head.

"Uh… I don't know all the details. I heard that Koholint's wise man is coming to visit you; Hilda said he has known the secret for years."

"What secret?"

"He will tell you."

An hour passed. Sheik remained in his seat, not saying a word. I stayed in the bed. Finally, the door opened, and Robin greeted us with a smile and nod.

"Robin," I began, "what did you… discover about the… plague?"

He sighed. "I have suspected this for years now." He sat down in a chair beside Sheik and stroked his beard. "Ah, this is a rather long story."

"I've got time."

He took a deep breath, wet his lips, and spoke.

"For generations, Hyrule's exams have been used to give children an idea for what occupation they'd be able to do later in their adult years. At least, this is what the public thought. In truth, Hyrule's exams are designed specifically as a weapon against Lorule. They take the best and brightest of the bunch and use them as their high-rank soldiers, their perfect-scoring prodigies as their agents. The middle and low classes can work in construction or farming, providing necessities for the citizens. But what happens to those who fail their exams? Upon adulthood, they are sent to labor camps_-_\- or so the public thinks.

"King Ganondorf ordered his scientists to develop a contagious parasite that slowly kills its host. The parasite grows and reproduces rapidly over time until the body cannot withstand such a large amount, and the host dies. The parasites emerge from the lifeless body and form together to make one horrifying monster, called a Shadow Beast.

"These creatures were brought under the control of King Ganondorf, who sends them to the land between the two nations Hyrule and Lorule_-_\- north of Lorule, south of Hyrule. The Shadow Beasts await any form of life to enter their land and kill them, turning them into one of their own in the process.

"So what happens to those who fail, since they don't really get sent to labor camps? They are infected with these specially-developed parasites. Cures have been developed, which enter the body and eradicate the parasites. But these are only available to those who passed their exams, those who are _useful_ to the kingdom. Treatments are also developed and given to the poor provinces to lengthen life. This is to decrease suspicion of the exam system. This is Ganondorf's secret weapon against the Lorule provinces."

When Robin finished, I stared wide-eyed at the wound in my side. That was from a once-living human being. Those demons… _Shadow Beasts_… were the manifestation of the plague itself.

I was wounded by the manifestation of the plague.

Sheik pointed to the counter at a basket of vials. "Dr. Don Gero extracted the substance from your wound and tested it along with the plague samples. He found similar, almost identical DNA, which confirmed this theory."

Suddenly, sweat began to form at my forehead at a rapid rate, and my limbs felt weak.

Dr. Don Gero entered the room, holding his clipboard and scratching his head nervously. "Link, this is going to be difficult for me to say… The wound from the Shadow Beast… contained a parasite."

My eyes widened, half in shock, half in confusion. Sheik and Robin matched my expression. "What does it mean, then?"

The doctor sighed and scratched his head again. "It means, Link, that you have the plague."

* * *

**Man, I am on fire with the cliffhangers... Yeah, sorry. Also, sorry this is a short chapter. I had to end it right there.**

**Note: Dr. Don Gero is named after the Don Gero's Mask in Majora's Mask. Don Gero was the conductor of the frog choir. No, he isn't a frog in this story.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	13. Visions

**Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites! Everything is truly appreciated.**

**Song suggestions: Drama- "Guilty Feeling" (HW OST) and "Forest Temple" (TP OST) / Action- "Silent Guardians" (HW OST) / Romance, Emotional- "Zelda's Theme" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

**Chapter 13: Visions**

1900 HOURS.

ROOM 1C, LORULE HOSPITAL, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

"…And," Dr. Don Gero added, "unless you are given a cure, I estimate that you have three days to live."

Three days. Seventy-two hours. Four thousand, thee hundred and twenty minutes. Seventeen thousand, two hundred and eighty seconds.

And the seconds were ticking away.

Both with grim expressions, Robin and Sheik sat in their chairs; Robin stared at the floor, and Sheik glared at the doctor. "Cures have been found!" he said forcefully.

The doctor nodded, sighing. "Correct; though the process of stealing one from Hyrule will definitely cost us many lives."

"Letting the hero's descendant die will cost us many lives," Robin said, rising to his feet. "I am a man of peace, yes; but Link cannot be denied a perfectly-attainable cure. He is our only chance for success."

The doctor scratched his head. "Look, I am truly sorry. But I'm not the one giving orders."

"Then let us take this to Sir Daphnes." Robin strode out of the hospital room.

Sheik followed him out, muttering, "Can't get a cure? Bullshit." Before closing the door, he looked at me. "You'll get that cure, Link; I'll make sure of it."

I realized that Sheik was a pretty helpful guy, despite the fact that I'd beaten him up before. I leaned back in my hospital bed, fighting back tears. The doctor proceeded to relay information. "Now, your condition is rarely contagious. We have extracted as much of the black substance from your wound as we could, but the parasites remain in your bloodstream, nevertheless. So, you_-_-"

"Stop."

The doctor cocked his head. "Pardon?"

"You heard me. Please stop."

Don Gero persisted. "But, Agent Link, you must know_-_-"

"I've got three days left," I said strongly. "What makes you think I want to listen to you blab about medical shit? I have the plague. That's all I need to know."

The doctor clicked his pen three times, his brows furrowing. "Good day."

And he left.

* * *

Pipit knelt in the dunes of the Haunted Wasteland, inspecting the bodies of the dead. There was no sign of it, but Pipit had a strange feeling that Link had been here. And judging by the many corpses of Loruleans, he didn't think his old colleague was faring well. "No tracks," he reported to his fellow agents. "The wind blew them away."

"Yeah, no shit," Groose said. He kicked the sand with his boot, growling angrily. "When are we gonna catch that little wimp?" At the reference of Link, Malon bit her bottom lip and averted her eyes to the sandy ground.

"He's probably already dead," Pipit said darkly.

"Yeah. And calm down, Groose," Fledge warned, cleaning the barrel of his pistol. "You don't want to attract… whatever those things are called."

"What _things_?" Malon asked nervously, walking up to Fledge.

Pipit stood up and surveyed the land. He noticed a speck of black in the sand, but decided to ignore it for the time being. "The king told me that he had some kind of weapon in the Haunted Wasteland. I don't know what it is, though. He refused to tell me." He sighed and turned to look at his fellow HBI agents. "Whatever it is, it killed these Loruleans."

"What if it comes for us?" Malon asked, biting her bottom lip.

The gang had elected to bring their pistols instead of their blasters; they were at the wasteland against direct orders from General Ghirahim. They didn't want tracking devices to reveal their location. Pipit had decided to bring them all to the area because he had heard that Loruleans had died there, and he wanted to find out more. "…If it does come, it won't be for another minute or so," he said. "Mr. Zant once told me that if I were ever to be in the Haunted Wasteland, get out of it in less that five minutes. I haven't an idea why."

"Hey, Pip," Groose began, pointing at the sand ahead, "what's that black thing?"

Pipit gave into his curiosity and trudged forward, eventually coming upon the black object jutting out of the sand. He grabbed it, yanking the thing up, but it was surprisingly heavy. Once a portion was revealed from the sand, he grabbed the other end with his remaining hand and hoisted the object out of the dunes. It was big, round, and had carvings on it. It was made of dark stone, but chippings were taken out of it along the edges. At the very center was a burn mark. "What the hell is this?"

"Should we take it back?"

"Maybe, Fledge, but I doubt the boss will approve of our little trip here," Groose said.

Malon nodded. "He's right, Pipit. Just leave it and we can go home."

Pipit looked from the object to his colleagues, then back at the object. "No… something isn't right about this."

"Come on, Pip, that's just some hunk of junk. Now let's scoot on out of here before we get killed by Ganon's weapon!" Groose exclaimed, his golden eyes growing wide in fear.

"Look at this." He brought it to the gang, then showed them the surface. "It's chipped, as if by bullets."

Taking a look, Malon leaned over to the object and squinted her eyes. "And it's stone_-_\- um… most of the king's weapons are _metal_…"

Fledge took a peek, then backed up. "You're right, Pipit, this is suspicious. But we really need to get out of here."

"…Fine."

"Thank Hylia," Groose said, turning around. Malon and Fledge followed after him, moving at a quick pace.

But Pipit stayed put.

They stopped and turned to look at him. "Pipit, come on!"

He dug his heels into the sand. "You guys go. I need to get to the bottom of this."

Malon began to walk towards the yellow-clad agent. "…Pipit_-_-"

"Go."

After a moment of hesitation, the trio reluctantly left Pipit in the Haunted Wasteland.

A distant, inhuman wail was heard.

* * *

0123 HOURS.

ROOM 1C, LORULE HOSPITAL, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

69 DEGREES INSIDE.

I jolted awake, my forehead and palms sweaty, my vision blurring. Running my fingers through my wet hair, I recollected my dream.

No, it wasn't a dream; I hadn't simply imagined it. It was a vision.

Pipit was probably about to die.

The door's quiet creaking altered my pointed ears. A dark figure crept into the room and quietly shut the door, darkening the room further. "L-Link?" A girl's voice. Struggling to form words. Either nervous or sorrowful.

"…Zelda?" If it was her, she'd be sorrowful; she must've found out about my situation. I had hoped she wouldn't. I didn't want her to grieve.

"Y-yeah, it's me…" Zelda sniffed. She was probably crying, but I couldn't see her face, just a shadow where her figure stood. A sharp breath of disparity escaped Zelda's lips, and I could clearly tell she was crying. "…Oh, Link!" She broke down into tears, sitting on my bedside.

"Zel… it's okay." I shriveled up against the wall, trying to keep my distance from her.

"No, Link! It isn't! …My father_-_\- Daphnes, I mean_-_\- refuses to send troops to get a cure! I-I…" More tears fell, and she put her hands to her face in sorrow. "B-but Sheik… he said he'd help you_-_-"

"Zelda…" She looked up at me, her eyes glistening despite the darkness. "…I love you."

"I love you, Link." She reached for my hand, but I pulled it away. "…Link, the doctor said it's not contagious."

"I'm not taking the chance."

She nodded, then sagged back into her chair. "I… I can't…. believe this…" She shook her head, the tears pouring out like waterfalls. "…W-why does this happen to you!? Of all people in the world, you! Y-you're the best person on this planet… it's just… so unfair…"

Suddenly I felt tears well up in my own eyes; but they weren't for my own sake. Everyone Zelda had gotten close to just leave her. Her parents, king and queen of the golden kingdom of Hyrule, whom she'd barely met as a baby. Hilda, one of her few friends. And now me. Her first love.

"L-Link… I-I'm going to find you that cure." Zelda nodded, wiping a few tears away.

"No, Zel, it's too dangerous_-_-"

"What have I got to lose!?" she sobbed. "If you leave me, what's the point of even going on with life!? I'd have no one! No one!"

Her words stung. They broke my heart. Shattered it. I hated to see her in such pain. "…Zelda, I'd rather be in hell than have you be hurt."

"L-Link…" she sobbed. "Please… d-don't leave me…"

"I love you."

* * *

Pipit held his pistol at the ready, aiming in the direction of the ghastly noise. But the sound occurred again, behind him this time. He prayed to Farore and gathered his courage, facing the oncoming threat.

His heart leaped as a dark demon crawled over the dune, coming into his view. The horrid creature was soon joined by many others_-_\- very many others. They seemed to be attracted to… the dark object he held in his hand. Pipit recognized it as one of the masks that the demons wore, so he dropped it immediately. He turned around to see the same amount of beasts advancing toward him.

Activating the microphone and earpiece, Pipit clicked his tongue. "Groose! Fledge_-_\- _anyone_!"

An immediate response came from Groose. "What is it, Pip? Did you find the weapon?"

"_It_ found _me_!" he shouted. "Actually, _they_ found me!"

"What do you mean?"

"Demons! Black, horrifying demons! Dozens of them!"

"What the_-_\- Get the hell out of there, dumbass!"

"Working on it!" Pipit dashed away right as the demons began to gallop toward him. As the adrenaline coursed through his veins, he put on another burst of speed. The dunes grew smaller as he progressed, and more vegetation was appearing. But the demons were gaining on him, shortening the distance to about two hundred feet.

Finally the sand disappeared completely, and Pipit came into a small plain in southern Hyrule, the outskirts of the Ordonia Province. The demons were nearly upon him when he made it to civilization, sprinting and weaving in and out between the ghetto homes of the province. As he ran through the village of Ordon, he noticed graffiti on the walls that read: _Shadow Agent lives!_

Pipit hadn't realized that the demons had stopped pursuing him until he was at the northern border of Ordonia. Heart beating rapidly, he wiped his sweaty forehead; he'd just run full speed for about four and a half miles.

_What the hell were those things!?_ he thought.

"Pipit! Pipit! Do you copy!?"

"Yeah, Groose," he replied, panting. "I wish… I'd gotten… a picture… of those… things…"

"Well you're in luck," Groose said. "Your sunglasses recorded the whole thing."

"Did you… see them…?" Pipit panted.

"No, but bring those glasses to the HQ and I'll gladly be proven wrong."

"Proven… wrong?"

"Yeah, right now I think you're a lunatic. So prove me wrong! Groose out." The connection was cut off.

Pipit summoned the little strength that remained within him, and he kept walking along the dirt trail. Eventually the trail became pavement, and Pipit was in Castle Town. After dragging his exhausted self through the streets, Pipit arrived at the Zantland skyscraper. He collapsed inside the elevator, feeling the relaxing cool tile against the side of his face. Proceeding a brief moment of rising through the building, the doors slid open.

Everyone's heads turned to the collapsed agent, their eyes growing wide in worry. "Pip, you okay?" Groose asked, rushing to his side. He lifted his colleague up, who struggled to maintain balance. "Dude, you should've come with us!"

Pipit shook his head, eyelids drooping in exhaustion.

"What do you mean, Pipit?" Fledge asked, coming to his aid as well. He supported Pipit by offering him his shoulder, and Pipit leaned on the two agents, arms wrapped around their shoulders. Fledge and Groose took him to his desk and set him down in his seat.

Pipit covered his face as he coughed, then retracted his hands; they were covered in blood.

Malon gasped. "Pipit! You must've busted a lung!"

Pipit pointed at his eyes, where his sunglasses were. Fledge removed the shades from his friends's face, then studied them. "You've got the footage on here?"

Pipit nodded.

Fledge removed a microchip from the side of the dark shades, then handed it to Malon. "Put that in the computer," he instructed.

She found the nearest laptop and inserted the chip. After a minute of typing and searching, Malon backed away from the desk.

A hologram appeared from thin air, in perfect color. As they watched the events that occurred, Pipit studied their faces. Each agent's expression went from initial disgust to mortified horror. As Pipit sagged in his chair, the hologram disappeared.

A dark and eerie silence hung over the room. No one dared to speak; everyone was shocked, petrified. It was Malon who finally broke it. "…What in Nayru's name was that?"

Groose crossed his arms over his chest, scoffing. "Looks like Ganon's got some explainin' to do."

* * *

0140 HOURS.

ROOM 1C, LORULE HOSPITAL, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

Gasping for breath, I lurched upward from the bed. Zelda took in a sharp breath at the sight of my sudden movement. I turned my head to look at her; she'd been sitting in the same place.

"What happened?"

Her worried expression shifted to a much softer, relieved one. "You just… fell asleep. You didn't know that?"

I shook my head. "…I had a dream, though."

"What about?"

"Uh…" I bit my bottom lip. "It was about Pipit… and the other agents."

Intrigued, Zelda cocked her head. I described my dream to her. "…So," she said, "they discovered Ganondorf's secret."

I nodded. "They could be in danger. That knowledge… could get them killed."

"I… thought you didn't care about them anymore," she said softly.

"Of course I do." I sighed, shaking my head. "They're my friends."

Zelda's lips curved into a smile, a small one. "And I'm sure they still think of you that way."

I smiled back. "Maybe not Malon."

Zelda giggled. "No, not her."

"I remember your reaction that night," I said, my smile growing. Immediately Zelda's face reddened. "You nearly tore apart a water bottle when you heard Malon ask me. And when I turned her down, you were really… _happy. _It was hilarious."

Zelda giggled and covered her red face in embarrassment. "…Yeah, well, come on. It's Malon! I always felt like… I was _competing_ with her for you."

I smiled. "There was no competition, Zelda. You're the greatest girl in the world."

* * *

"No!" Ravio yelled, shoving Sheik forcefully in the chest. "I will not allow you to do this!"

Sheik cracked his taped knuckles, lip curving into a snarl. "Step aside."

Ravio stood his ground in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. He guarded the entrance to the Lorule Air Force Base, a gigantic building consisting of dozens of fighter jets, helicopters, and self-piloting drones, and four LoCrafts. "Sir Daphnes' orders. You may not pass."

"Sure I may." Sheik barged forward, only to meet Ravio's palms as he was shoved away yet again.

"I said stay back, Agent Sheik!"

"Well I say fuck off, you coward!" he retorted, balling his fists and raising them into the fighter stance. Ravio writhed in anger at Sheik's profanity. "Fight me like a man!"

Ravio threw a punch, which was only met by Sheik's awaiting palm. Sheik swept his leg at the general's ankles, clipping him. Ravio fell flat on his face, and Sheik leapt over him and ran through the door.

"Hey!" shouted a few soldiers within the facility. They pursued him, but Sheik was much too quick.

He clicked his tongue, activating the mic. "Impa, start the 'copter!" Once he was in the middle of the facility, Sheik frantically searched for any irregular pattern among the fighter jets, helicopters, and other vehicles lined up in rows. A helicopter on the outside edge of the alignment suddenly started, its propellers rotating with increasing speed, and he dashed for the vehicle.

Impa sat in the cockpit, beckoning for Sheik to hurry with swift movements of her hand. She could see the group of Lorulean soldiers advancing; some were rushing to the control room. Sheik had to hurry or they'd be trapped in the facility. Looking up out the windshield, she saw the ceiling gate slowly start to close. Impa turned to the three Sheikah soldiers behind her. "Go distract the soldiers in the control room! Buy us time to escape!" The three soldiers saluted, then disappeared in a cloud of dust with the aid of Sheikah magic. Impa coughed and waved away the smoke, returning her attention to Sheik.

Finally he arrived at the heli and hopped into the passenger seat, shutting the door. Impa started the ignition and began to ascend right as the pursuing soldiers arrived. They looked up at the vehicle and were hesitant to shoot; that is, until Ravio shouted, "Fire!"

The three Sheikah had split up; one took the control room; two took care of the soldiers who were shooting at the heli. The two set off smoke bombs, obscuring the helicopter from the soldier's view. The soldiers coughed and sputtered, covering their eyes and firing blindly at the ceiling.

The last Sheikah barged through the door of the control room, where ten technicians sat at desks. While the technicians stood up and raised their hands in surrender, three sentinels raised their blasters at the Sheikah soldier. He performed a front flip, kicking one's gun down to the floor. He used the man as a human shield, who took two stunning beams in the chest. After writhing and convulsing, the sentinel fell to the floor. The Sheikah man disappeared in a cloud of smoke, thenreappeared in between the remaining two soldiers. He slammed his knee into the groin of one, spun around and punched the second in the jaw, then kicked the first guy in the knee. His legs buckled and he fell, and the Sheikah slammed his fists into the back of his skull. Lastly he spun around and, in one swift motion, gripped the sides of the other man's head and slammed it down to his awaiting knee.

Satisfied, the Sheikah man smirked and pressed a large blue button that read, "OPEN."

As the ceiling's jaws opened once again, Impa piloted the helicopter out of the facility and through Lorule's early morning skies.

Impa was alerted by commotion in the back of the heli. She looked in the rear view mirror, only to see the three Sheikah soldiers had returned. "So," said one, "where are we headed?"

"North," Sheik said, a determined frown painted on his face. "To Hyrule."

* * *

"_What_?"

"My words are true."

Zelda contemplated what her long-lost father had just told her. Daphnes sat at the head desk in Clock Tower's agency, hands clasped together in front of him. She stood a ways away, utterly shocked. "…You were never informed of this?"

"Never!" Daphnes exclaimed. "I cannot believe this; Agent Link has the plague!?"

"Dr. Don Gero didn't relay this information to you?"

"No!"

Zelda paused, baffled. "But… Hilda told me that you wouldn't allow soldiers to retrieve a cure!"

"I said no such thing!"

"I was just told that Sheik and Impa had defied your orders," she replied, looking down at the floor.

"So they've gone to acquire a cure? And who told you that_-_\- the fact that they defied my orders?"

"…Hilda." Zelda's eyes widened. "Then that means… Oh, no…"

"This is inexcusable!" Daphnes shouted, rising to his feet in anger. "My own generals are working behind my back! Their actions could have Agent Link killed!"

"…Maybe that's what they want."

* * *

Fledge stood next to Groose in the second floor of Castle Town's medical research facility, acting as guards to the large supply of plague cures boxed up in the room.

"Why are we even here?" Groose asked impatiently.

"King said so," Fledge replied, shrugging. "He said that since a bunch of Loruleans had been killed in the Haunted Wasteland, they'd try to steal some plague cures."

"What do plague cures have to do with those demons in the Haunted Wasteland?"

Fledge just shrugged again. "I'm sure we'll find out soon."

The alarm sounded, with red lights flickering throughout the building. Groose withdrew his blaster, muttering, "Here they come."

They went through a door to the stairway, pointing their blasters in the direction of the other door at the bottom of the inclination. Gunfire was heard, along with the blast of lasers. And they waited, poised for action.

The door burst open, and in dashed a young man in Sheikah garb, his long blonde hair tied back into a braid, a turban obscuring most of his face, and fierce red eyes staring directly at Groose.

"You!" Sheik snarled, making a mad dash up the stairs. As Groose fired his blaster, four more Sheikah entered the stairwell: Impa and three unrecognizable soldiers. Before the lasers could touch him, Sheik disappeared, reappearing behind the two HBI agents. He drove the end of his gun into the back of Groose's thick skull, and he toppled over to the ground and fell down the stairs. As Fledge whipped around with great fear in his eyes, Sheik chuckled. "I was always good at '_Punch-Out_'."

Fledge dropped his blaster to the ground, raising his arms in defeat. "Don't shoot! …I-I surrender."

Sheik smirked and pointed to his three Sheikah allies. "Take him with us. Leave the oaf here." They nodded, then walked up to tie Fledge's wrists behind his back with a rope.

Sheik kicked open the door to the second floor of the facility to see dozens of crates stacked up on shelves. "You! Green-haired boy!" Sheik yelled, turning to Fledge. "How many cures are in each box?"

"Twenty."

Sheik bit his bottom lip and sighed. Then he pointed to another one of his allies and said, "Just take one. I'll take point from here on out." The guy moved past Sheik and into the room, lifting up a wooden crate.

They exited the facility with ease; no Hylian soldiers remained. Once back inside the helicopter Impa piloted the vehicle back into the skies, with Sheik as the copilot. Fledge and the other three Sheikah sat on the back, guns at the ready.

Fledge shifted uneasily, then said, "Um… may I ask you_-_-"

"Quiet," a soldier ordered.

"But_-_-"

More forcefully, he repeated, "Quiet."

Sheik raised a hand, stopping his Sheikah ally. "Let him speak."

Fledge looked at Sheik, then asked, "…Is Link alive?"

Contemplating whether or not to answer the boy's question truthfully, Sheik bit his bottom lip. "Yes," he said after a moment of mental debate.

A tiny smile began to form on Fledge's face, but then it left. "And Zelda?"

"Daphnes' daughter? Yes," Sheik said, turning to face the boy's reaction.

His eyes widened, and his mouth opened a crack. "Zelda is the princess!?"

Sheik just nodded. Then, he cocked his head, a smirk appearing. "Why do you refer to her as _the princess_? I thought HBI agents believed _Ganondorf_ is the _true_ leader of Hyrule." He spoke in a mocking, accusative tone that made Fledge look down in shame.

"…Well things are different now," Fledge said, sighing. "I think Ganon's '_weapon_' in the Haunted Wasteland has something to do with the plague_-_\- something that will entirely reshape my views on the kingdom."

Sheik nodded. "You are not wrong." He sighed. "Those demons are the manifestation of the plague itself." As Fledge's eyes widened in shock and confusion, Sheik paused. "I'll explain more later. But look, I don't want to keep you as a prisoner of war. But there's a chance that you could still be locked up." Sheik returned his gaze to the clouds passing by out the window. "If that's so, we might share a cell."

"What? …Why?"

"Apparently, I'm '_defying the orders of Sir Daphnes_'_-_\- he is the leader of Lorule, by the way." Then Sheik stopped himself, thinking. "Or that's what General Hilda says, at least."

"Maybe this _Hilda_ girl is defying Daphnes' orders," Fledge guessed, shrugging. Sheik knew Fledge wasn't being serious, so he blew air out of his nose in a meager laugh.

Though…

…Fledge's comment got him thinking.

* * *

**Well, I gave you guys a look into the lives of the other characters… Just so I wouldn't bore you with details about Link staying in the hospital all day. Hope you enjoyed the added action; tell me what you thought.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	14. The Mask Thief

**I'm SO SORRY for the late update. I know I promised I'd update once a week, but I've been so busy lately. Once again, I'm sorry.**

**Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites! Everything is appreciated!**

**Song suggestions: Action/Beginning- "Death Mountain" or "Hidden Village" (TP OST) / Romance- "Zelda's Theme" (SS OST) / Drama- "Forest Temple" (TP OST) and "Dragon Theme" (SS OST) / Misc.- "The Sky Fields Island" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

**Chapter 14: The Mask Thief**

2045 HOURS.

ROOM 1C, LORULE HOSPITAL, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

67 DEGREES INSIDE.

It was the second day since I'd been diagnosed with the plague. That meant I had, proceeding this day, twenty-four remaining hours to live. My ears were alerted to a sound of shuffling feet outside my door, and I immediately stood up, battling a head rush. I made my way to the door and pressed my ear to it.

Light footsteps were in the lead, followed by five other pairs. If they were just passing by or coming to visit me, I didn't know; so, I called out, "Who's there?"

I heard someone shush the others. "…Link?"

"Sheik?"

"Yeah, it's me." A pause. "We got you the_-_-"

"Hey!" a faint voice interrupted, coming from the other direction of Sheik and his comrades.

"Oh, you fucking _kidding_ me!?" Sheik screamed. The door clicked, and I backed up quickly as Sheik kicked it inward. He was carrying a large crate, and five others stood behind him. Impa, three Sheikah, and…

"Fledge?" I asked. His wrists were bound behind his back, and he looked oddly calm.

"No time!" Sheik said. He dropped the crate in my room, then spun around to look at the oncoming threat.

I peeked out the door and was surprised to see Ravio striding through the hall, gun drawn and pointed straight at Sheik. Behind him followed ten soldiers, all heavily armed. "Lay down your weapons and surrender!" Ravio commanded, stopping just feet away from the Sheikah.

"Nah, I've been arrested _way_ too many times," Sheik muttered. "Look, bunny boy…"

Ravio fumed at the name.

"…We brought Link the cure. If you arrest me for saving his life, everyone's gonna think you wanted him to die." Smirking, Sheik knew he had outplayed the general.

Ravio lifted up his rabbit hood and stared intensely at Sheik with his dark maroon eyes. He lowered his gun, murmuring to his soldiers, "Fall back."

As I looked more closely at Ravio's soldiers, I noticed something peculiar. For a very brief moment, the whites of their eyes were black, their irises and pupils an intense red. But then they returned to normal, and they followed Ravio down the hall.

_What just happened?_

Sheik sighed and relaxed his shoulders, turning to face me. "It wasn't easy, but we got the cures."

A relieved smile appeared on my face. "Thank you so much." I looked down at the crate for awhile as a lingering silence settled in the air. Then, not sure if I should or not, I asked, "What did Ravio have a problem with…?"

Sheik bit his bottom lip. "Y'know, I think it was because we kidnapped ol' green hair, here," he said, patting an uncomfortable Fledge's back. "Because he's an HBI agent."

I narrowed my eyes accusingly. "Then why did you say that Ravio was going to arrest you for saving my life?"

Stumped, Sheik sighed and tapped the toes of his boot on the floor. "Okay, fine. I think he may…" he said, then paused, taking in a deep breath. I could tell he was about to tell me something, the actual truth; instead he made up a quick lie, which I could see right through. "We actually hijacked a helicopter. Apparently that's '_against the rules_,' or whatever. If bunny boy arrested me immediately after I saved your life, the public would think he wanted you dead. That's all."

I pretended like I believed his obvious lie. However, I knew what Sheik was really going to tell me.

Did Ravio want me dead?

* * *

Zelda stood by the large window inside the Clock Tower's agency. The window was actually the clock; however, it was a one-way window. Anyone outside the tower just saw the clock, and everyone inside the agency could see through it, despite the clock's numerals and hands. She looked down upon the city, noticing the passersby absent-mindedly carrying out their duties. The lights of Clock Town struck her as the most beautiful feature the city had to offer; they were golden for the most part, and gave the city a warm feeling. Which, in fact, contradicted greatly from the dull, white lights of Castle Town; the city always made her feel on-edge. Living there in Clock Town made Zelda feel at home. Whether it was the fact that her long-lost father was there or that she was surrounded by people who shared her beliefs about Hyrule, she did not know why.

A bird flew by, a dark, majestic one. It was large, bold, and it flapped its large wings with such grace that Zelda's eyes followed it wherever it went, until it was obscured from her vision behind a skyscraper. She sighed, realizing how such a wonderful thing could be so fleeting. Much like another thing_-_\- or person_-_\- she knew.

Zelda's ocean-blue eyes welled up with tears as she watched the bird fly away. It had left her there, and she felt incomplete, hopeless, dead inside.

_Link, _she thought, _please don't leave me..._

The sound of shuffling feet alerted her. She turned around to see her father, followed by the doctor who had tended to Link, Impa, and unexpectedly, Fledge.

Daphnes looked up at Zelda. "Ah, my daughter, I have some news for you."

Interested, Zelda cocked her head, but her previous emotional state refrained from letting her speak.

Impa crossed her arms over her chest, lifting her head upward in pride. "We have retrieved the cure," she said.

A sudden relief broke over Zelda, and she smiled hopefully. "R-really?" She couldn't help but look at Fledge, feeling a little confused. But she couldn't focus on that at the moment. A subtle screeching noise alerted her, and she turned her head a tad to see the source. The large bird had come back from behind the building, flapping its wings majestically. It swooped around in a circle, then hovered by the window. Zelda knew the bird couldn't see her, since anyone on the outside would only see a clock; but this bird seemed to look straight at her, maybe with powers of clairvoyance.

Daphnes nodded. "I had ordered Dr. Don Gero to inject it, and the process is now complete." The doctor nodded at Daphnes' statement.

Sheik stepped forward, looking quite angry. "We stationed guards outside his door, too."

Zelda turned back to look at the group. "Guards? Why?"

Sheik proceeded to inform Zelda about his encounter with Ravio just before he delivered the cure. "We're worried about Ravio," he said finally. "And maybe Hilda; they seem to work together."

"Affirmative," Daphnes stated. "Hilda has similar intentions; she had directed orders, unbeknownst to me."

"What does this mean?" Impa asked, her intense red eyes growing larger.

Daphnes sighed, closing his eyes, immersed in thought. "…It means that we have a misunderstanding."

"A 'misunderstanding,' huh?" Sheik mocked sarcastically with air quotes.

"Yes," Daphnes replied. "This behavior is highly rare for our generals Hilda and Ravio. They are both fully devoted to our cause. Whatever the problem is, we will solve it."

Sheik scoffed. "That's a load of shit."

"Sheik!" Impa scolded. She glared furiously at him.

"I don't care," he said to Impa. "He's the leader? Big deal. I don't need to be respectful; I just need to kick Ganon's ass." He turned back to Daphnes, who appeared surprisingly calm. "You're in denial. Ravio and Hilda are traitors, and they need to be locked up."

Daphnes looked at the ground. "No." He sighed. "I know my generals. I will interrogate them, and for now, that will be all."

Zelda refrained from speaking; it was not her place. Even though she agreed with Sheik, she thought it'd be quite unpleasant to disagree with her father.

Daphnes ended the conversation with a quick "Good day." He turned around and walked swiftly out of the room, head held high.

A silence settled in among the room, and Zelda's eyes averted to Fledge. He looked straight at the floor, avoiding her gaze. "Fledge," Zelda finally called.

He looked up. "…H-hey."

"Why are you here?"

Fledge motioned to the two Sheikah standing next to him. "They brought me." Sheik lifted his head quickly and proudly, then returned his gaze to the floor. Fledge continued speaking. "I was guarding the plague cures with Groose. I think…," he looked uneasily at Sheik and Impa, "…he might be dead."

Zelda fought a gasp as Sheik quickly shook his head. "No," he said, "he was just knocked out. I hit him in the back of the head." Sheik tapped the back of his head with his taped fingers.

A great weight was lifted off Fledge's shoulders, and he sighed, relieved. "I never liked that guy, but it's good to know he's alive."

Zelda dropped her gaze to the ground and said softly, "He's the reason Link was imprisoned."

Fledge didn't seem to hear. "Anyway, Ganondorf ordered us to guard the medical facility, but he said it had to do with the deaths of Loruleans in the Haunted Wasteland. I don't know why, though."

"We know why," Sheik said.

"Really?"

"Yep." Sheik nodded. "Did you, perchance, see the 'weapon' that Ganondorf has?"

Fledge shuddered at the thought. "Those… demons?"

"Yes. Those demons_-_\- Shadow Beasts, they're called_-_\- are the manifestation of the plague itself." And Sheik proceeded to inform Fledge about the horror of Hyrule_-_\- the deep, dark secret that Ganondorf had kept from the public for years, all to maintain his dominance over the kingdom.

And Fledge was horrified. "…Let me join you."

* * *

2200 HOURS.

APT. 10A, ANUBIS COMPLEX, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

66 DEGREES INSIDE.

The doctor said I was okay to leave the hospital. So I departed without delay. When I arrived in my apartment, I felt a sudden relief break over me. I was back home. Everything was the same, untouched from how I'd left it. But the best part of returning home was seeing a familiar person laying asleep in the bed in the corner.

I smiled with great joy, removing all my uncomfortable attire: my hat, gauntlets, boots, sunglasses, vest, and tunic. In my white undershirt and pants alone, I slid underneath the covers next to Zelda. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, and she stirred, opening her eyes to look at me. I was entranced; her eyes were beautiful. Bright blue, like two oceans. Without anything to say, I simply pressed my lips to hers gently. A tear steamed down her cheek, and she tightened her grip around my back as she kissed me. I felt all of her emotions from when I was sick, pouring into my mind from her lips: anguish, despair, hopelessness.

She finally pulled away, wiping the tear away from her beautiful face. "Link," she sobbed, a smile gradually growing, "I'm so glad you're okay…"

"Zel," I whispered, kissing her lips for a short while, "I promised that I wouldn't leave you. I will keep that promise."

"I love you, Link…"

I smiled and pulled her close to me, her head resting against my chest. I stroked her blonde hair and said softly, "I love you too, Zel." I kissed the top of her head, then shut my eyes. The warmth of Zelda's body lulled me to a deep sleep.

* * *

0900 HOURS.

CLOCK TOWER, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

"And now that we're all back together," Daphnes said, giving a nod in my direction, "let us get to the task at hand."

Daphnes sat at the head of the roundtable, his back to the gigantic clock. Sheik, Impa, Midna, Zelda, and I sat around his chair.

"Zelda, my lovely daughter…" Daphnes continued. I looked at Zelda, who cringed subtly at Daphnes' word choice. Something had to be bothering her; I'd ask her later. "You have collected three golden shards, correct?"

Zelda nodded and lifted the golden chain above her head, showing the pendant with three golden relics bound together by divine power.

Daphnes hummed. "As you most likely know, that is the incomplete Triforce of Wisdom." Everyone nodded, except Midna, who cocked her head subtly and sat back in her chair, squinting her yellow eyes a bit. Daphnes cleared his throat and continued. "Again, as you most likely know, Link bears the completed Triforce of Courage."

As if on cue, my right hand glowed more brightly. I removed my hand from the table top and put it in my lap.

"With two pieces of the Triforce on our side, Lorule will be unstoppable. But we must first gather the remaining four shards scattered across Hyrule…" He paused and looked at all of us, as if checking to see if we were listening. "…From there, we must defeat Ganondorf and claim the Triforce of Power. With the completed relic, we shall wish for the liberation of the golden kingdom of Hyrule."

Everyone couldn't help but smile at the thought; that is, except for Midna. She kept a blank face, sitting back in her chair and observing each person's reaction. It was rather creepy.

"But let us not get ahead of ourselves," the former king said solemnly, raising a finger. "That matter will be taken care of in the future. For now, I must propose a mission. Link, Sheik, and Midna, you three are to search for another shard in Hyrule_-_-"

"Ahem," Zelda interrupted. "Why not me?"

Daphnes took in a breath. "I am sorry, Zelda, but it is too dangerous for_-_-"

"I'm going." Zelda's voice took on a commanding tone.

Daphnes sighed. "…Fine. You four should take into account any rumors you hear or any research you can find. Any information is vital. Do not disregard anything remotely suspicious."

"And what about Ravio and Hilda?" Sheik asked with a smirk. "Isn't a _general_ going to accompany us, like always?"

Daphnes sighed again, sagging back further in his chair. "Ravio and Hilda are being confined for interrogation." Sheik maintained his smirk, seeming satisfied with the answer he'd gotten. "Until we know their intentions, they will stay put. Besides," his eyes moved to Midna, who nodded, and he returned his gaze to Sheik, "you _are_ accompanied by a general. Agents, say hello to General Midna."

Everyone eyed each other, confused and suspicious. No one knew this mysterious Twili, so everyone wondered why Daphnes trusted her to be a general. And if she was the princess of the Twilight Realm, why would she be devoted to a kingdom in the world of light?

"Ahem," Daphnes said, "you are all dismissed until tonight; be here at 1700 hours."

We all backed out of our chairs and stood up. Zelda immediately turned around and strode out of the room with a frown. "Zelda," I called. She kept going, walking toward the left elevator, one of three on the southern wall. "Zelda, wait up," I called again, following after her. As the elevator opened she stepped inside, and I barely caught up before the doors shut again. I gave her a confused look, but she averted her eyes to the floor. "Zel?"

She looked up at me and sighed. "My '_father_'," she said with air quotes, "is already telling me what to do. The man who abandoned me and left me in Hyrule… I don't know him at all, and he doesn't know me; I will not call him 'Dad' or 'Father'… because he _isn't_ my father."

I pressed the elevator button that read "1L" and we slowly descended through the Clock Tower toward the lobby. I sighed and wrapped my arms around Zelda's shoulders, bringing her in to a hug. "Zel," I said softly, "he _is_ your father. It wasn't his fault that he had to leave to Lorule_-_\- at least, that's what I think. I don't know exactly what happened, but I do know that Daphnes is trying to make it up to you. He wants to be a part of your life."

Zelda shook her head against my chest. "No, Link. He easily could have taken me with him_-_\- this is inexcusable. I… can't bring myself to… to _forgive_ him… I can't ever talk to my father again."

I sighed and pulled her away to look into her blue eyes. "No, Zelda, _I_ can't ever talk to _my_ father again." Her eyes widened a bit with sorrow, and she took in a shaky breath. "If I had the chance, I'd spend every waking moment with him… But I don't have that chance." I paused, then rubbed her shoulders reassuringly with my thumbs. "But you have that chance, Zel. Don't miss it."

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. I looked out to see the gold-painted lobby bathed in the morning light. Looking back at Zelda, I took her hand in mine. I raised my eyebrows at her, silently asking if we should leave. Zelda nodded, and I led her out of the Clock Tower. After exiting through the revolving door, we emerged into the bustling city of Clock Town, Termina.

Finally Zelda broke the silence that lingered between us. "Let's go visit Robin," she said. "He's only about an hour away, and he probably knows where another shard is located."

I nodded, but I didn't meet her eyes. I was staring ahead, out into the street. A large crowd stood blocking off traffic, circling something. A person. Squinting my eyes, I focused on the figure amid the yelling crowd. A male. Thin build. Across from him stood a smaller figure, adorned with bright clothes and some sort of hat.

"Link?"

I turned my head back to Zelda. "Hold on." I pointed to the crowd. "I'm going to check that out. Stay behind me, and don't let go of my hand."

"Okay," she replied. "Just don't do anything stupid."

"Not sure if I can make that promise."

We made our way past the backed-up cars and came upon the roaring crowd. They placed bets with each other, snickering devilishly while waiting for some sort of fight to start. Once I pushed past the crowd, making my way to the near front, I peered out at the two centers of attention.

The smaller one looked like just a boy_-_\- a scarecrow boy, that is. He had dark skin, almost pitch-black, and bright, beady eyes that were fixated on his opponent in front of him. A large straw hat sat atop his head, orange with a green strap around it. The boy wore straw clothing, also orange, but with green sleeves and pants, a golden buckle, and brown, elven shoes. I had never seen anything like this being before.

The thinly-built man had purple clothes and orange hair parted over to one side. His eyes were nearly shut as he squinted at the boy in front of him, and his lips were curved into a jubilant, though rather creepy, grin. He clasped his hands together and rubbed them, leaning forward to balance out the weight of a giant backpack on his back, overstuffed with masks of different kinds. This man was Rupin, the hologram I'd met in Castle Town. Rupin, the "Happy Mask Salesman," as he called himself. The guy who burned my hands.

Rupin laughed at the boy, then bowed down in mockery. He jerked his head quickly back upward, wearing a freaky Redead mask and even screeching like one. The boy jumped in fear as Rupin removed the mask from his face, laughing hysterically. "I've finally got you, little imp!"

The boy snickered. "I just thought I'd have a little fun with you." He kicked a rock impatiently, then snickered again. Rupin withdrew a brown Goron mask and silently threatened to put it on his face. "Oh," the boy said, "come now, do you really think you can beat me? Fool!" The boy snapped his brown fingers.

Rupin's face morphed into that of the Redead mask's. It was freaky, horrifying; it made a few betters recoil at the sight. Rupin walked up to the laughing boy and picked him up by the shoulders, shaking him violently. "What have you done to me!?"

"Hee hee! Now _that's_ a good look for you!" the boy shouted triumphantly.

"Hey," I muttered to a large man next to me.

He looked down at me with a frown. "What ya want, kid?" He eyed Zelda for a bit, then looked back at me.

"What's going on between these two?"

"I dunno, kid. I'm just here to bet." The man returned his attention to the center of the crowd.

The boy snapped his fingers again, returning Rupin's face to normal. "You put me down, or you'll be looking that way forever!" Rupin lowered the boy to his feet with a grumble. "Good. Now listen. I only got rid of that mask because it's evil. And I stole those other ones 'cause it is wrong to kill creatures for their souls. That Deku mask you had? Yeah, that was my friend."

The boy turned around, but before he could push through the crowd, Rupin swung his fist at the boy. It smacked his dark head so hard that he fell to the ground, knocked out. Rupin shook his fist to rid himself of the pain in his knuckles, the smile wiped clean off his face. Then, eyes pointed at the pavement, Rupin turned and left the center of the crowd, while the betters exchanged winnings.

I tightened my grip around Zelda's hand and led her out of the crowd toward Rupin. "Link, why are you following him?" Zelda asked, trying to keep up with my fast pace.

"He's the guy who burned my hands."

She didn't respond. We finally caught up to the guy just past the Clock Tower, and I tapped his shoulder forcefully.

"What!?" Rupin whipped around, fists clenched. Then, he recognized me, and his crept grin returned to his face. "The lovely HBI agent has joined our side! Aha, this is just grand!"

I glared at him. "No, it isn't. You're the_-_-"

"Damn right, it isn't!" he shouted, the grin gone again. "You stole my job!"

I squinted at him, confused. "What?"

"I'm jobless because of you! They fired me because there would be too many agents after the '_legendary hero_' showed up! Since then, I've been a nomad, traveling, searching for even more masks, but then I wind up getting them stolen by little imps!"

I scoffed. "And this is all _my_ fault," I said sarcastically.

"Yes."

Zelda and I shared a confused look. "Why are you here, then?"

The Happy Mask Salesman grinned yet again, saying, "Because, hero. I've come to take your job." He rubbed his hands together devilishly. "You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"

"Nope."

"Eh… what?" Rupin asked.

"No terrible fate."

He stammered, "But_-_\- there's a rumor_-_\- what about the plague!?"

"Cured," I said simply.

"So, technically, you _have_ met with a terrible fate…" Rupin grumbled. "My timing is just a little off."

_Well, here's another guy who wants me dead._

Zelda held back a giggle at my blunt, simple replies. She asked, "Why are you so obsessed with worthless masks?"

"Aha! _Worthless_! Poppycock!" he shouted, laughing hysterically.

"_Poppycock_?" I mouthed to Zelda. She shrugged her shoulders.

Rupin cleared his throat. "You see… I travel far and wide in search for masks. During my travels, a very important mask was stolen from me by an imp in the woods. He got rid of it, but I do not know where it rests. I went to great lengths to get that legendary mask. When I finally had it... I could sense the doom of a dark omen brewing. It was that unwelcome feeling that makes your hair stand on end... Perhaps it is better that the mask is gone. Admittedly, the imp was trying to rid the world of its dark magic. But it would have been safer in my possession; and now… anyone or anything can find it… _use_ it…" His eyes drifted off to the ground.

"Well, great," I grumbled to Zelda. "Something else we have to worry about."

* * *

**Once again, I am very sorry for the late update. I'll do my best to update more frequently for you readers.**

**BTW: Rupin/Happy Mask Salesman had the appearance of the character from Majora's Mask (not the shopkeeper from Skyward Sword).**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	15. Eyes of Demons, Bodies of Men

**Merry Christmas! Or Happy Hanukkah… or Kwanzaa… whatever you celebrate. Anyway, you get an update!**

**Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! Everything is appreciated!**

**Song suggestions: Ravio, Hilda scene- "Ghirahim's Theme" (SS OST) / Robin- "Fi's Theme [Piano Lament]" (SS OST) / Drama- "Death Mountain" (TP OST) / Misc.- "Dragon Theme" (SS OST) / Action- "Under Siege" (HW OST).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

**Chapter 15: Eyes of Demons, Bodies of Men**

"Your highness," Ravio argued, "with all due respect, this could eliminate all lifeforms on the planet! Too much power could_-_-"

"Silence!" Hilda commanded. She devilishly curled her white-gloved fingers around her purple staff. She sneered at Ravio, who cowered down in his cot, shriveling up into the corner. "Know your place, servant. I will not abandon my master plan due to the advice from an _inferior_. Am I understood?"

"…Yes, your highness," Ravio said.

"Good." She turned her back on Ravio, grumbling, "Being locked up in this _putrid cell_ isn't going to progress the plan any further, is it…?"

Ravio shook his head. "Should we go back home? I have the coin." The rabbit-hooded boy withdrew a circular, bronze object and showed it to Hilda. Engraved on it was a carving of one of the fabled portals during the Era of Twilight.

Hilda pondered Ravio's suggestion. "Maybe. It certainly wouldn't be an issue…" She knocked on the gray brick walls of the small cell, as if to prove her point. "No," Hilda finally said. "If we were to escape, our plan would be foiled. We would lose their trust."

"Haven't we already?"

"I suspect not; we will just have to talk our way out of this predicament… But, for now, we'll have to hope our followers have been doing as they were told." Hilda's eyes lingered on the purple staff. It was taller than her, with three golden, upside-down Triforces forming a triangular pyramid_-_\- the pointed end faced down, toward the purple pole, and the large base faced upward. She smiled as she walked her middle and forefinger down the pole as the object slowly dissipated into nothingness, the sound of glass falling onto tile ringing faintly in her ears.

Ravio, meanwhile, bit his bottom lip as he stared at the princess in front of him. Her plan worried him; he could die, she could die, _everyone_ could die… But Hilda refused to picture it. Blinded by power, as some would say. But how could she be blinded by power if she hadn't even received it yet?

Hilda whipped back around, facing him, her dress and dark hair spinning in rhythm. "The _real_ Lorule will return!"

* * *

1100 HOURS.

ROBIN'S HILL, KOHOLINT PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

63 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

"A legendary mask, eh?" Robin inquired, rocking rhythmically in his wooden chair. Rupin the Happy Mask Salesman nodded, his eyes squinting and the creepy smile present on his face. Robin smiled and stroked his beard. "Ah, the possessed mask has resurfaced."

"Possessed mask?" Zelda repeated, eyebrows raising in worry. I looked at her and placed a hand on her knee, attempting to soothe her. She looked at me and placed a soft hand over mine, then returned her gaze to Robin.

"Yes," said the wise man. He cleared his throat, then explained. "There lived an evil creature which fed on the desires of the countless numbers of humans who had come before it to try and claim its armor and be granted their wishes. A traveler then came forward to the place where the monster lived. The traveler started talking with the man-eating creature, where he found that the monster itself wanted to die, being so miserable. The man then pulled out his bongo and started playing. The monster went into a trance and started dancing. The traveler played for three days straight. On the third day, the beast dropped dead from dancing his heart out. The hero took its magical armor, but instead of wishing upon it, he carved it into a mask in an attempt to seal the beast's power inside the mask forever. The mask was named Majora after the beast. The mask had a spirit because Majora's evil power lingered on inside the mask seeking a host, not resting until its wish was granted."

My eyes widened throughout the tale. "…Majora's Mask," I said, my voice barely raising above a whisper. I looked toward Rupin, who nodded at me.

"You have heard of the legend, yes?" Rupin snickered. "Your ancestor was the one who fought the wrath of this mask. That's why, you see, we have to get this mask back, for fear of similar events to transpire."

"Any idea where it is?" Zelda chimed.

Robin nodded. "This… _imp_, you described, could be classified as a Skull Kid. Their native region is Hyrule's Faron Province, typically in the Lost Woods. Another possibility would be the Deku Province, located in south Lorule… I don't recall any Skull Kids living in Deku, however. It would be likely that the Skull Kid would hide Majora's Mask in his home."

"So," I said, "I guess we'll be heading back to Faron tomorrow."

Zelda nodded in agreement; we both had to be at Clock Tower at 1700 that night. She turned her head back to Robin. "There's one more problem we have…"

"Ah," replied the wise man, "it has to do with the remaining shards, I presume?" Zelda nodded, and Robin continued speaking. "Well, you're in luck."

"How so?" I inquired.

Robin smiled and held out his hand so the palm pointed skyward, and, as if on cue, a red fairy flew from behind the cabin to the air above his awaiting hand. I recognized this fairy.

"Proxi?"

Proxi fluttered her wings and rested atop Robin's shoulder. Robin studied my expression and chuckled heartily. "Clearly you've met my fairy once before."

Zelda looked at me, confused. "How do you know this fairy?"

It then occurred to me that I hadn't informed Zelda of the events in the prison of Hyrule Castle. "Proxi told me what was happening outside my cell." Zelda's blue eyes moved to the fairy, then back to me. "In a way, she helped me escape."

"Aye," Robin said. "Proxi knows just about everything worth knowing, and she is the source for a fraction of my knowledge." Proxi humbly shriveled up against Robin's neck, embarrassed by all the sudden attention.

"So how are we in luck?"

"Proxi, here, tells me that a plethora of Hylian soldiers are being sent to the Faron Province. So, this means King Ganondorf has discovered something. I think you and I both know what that is. Therefore," he added, "you will be able to find Majora's Mask and the fourth shard in one trip. Convenience is important, yes?"

_Yeah,_ I thought sarcastically. _Invading a labyrinth forest infested with scarecrows to find a possessed_ mask-_ and avoiding dozens of soldiers to find a divine_ relic-_ all in one day? That sure is convenient._

* * *

1700 HOURS.

CLOCK TOWER, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

65 DEGREES INSIDE.

The elevator doors slid open. I grabbed Zelda's hand, offered her a smile, which she returned, and we strode into the agency. Everyone sat at their respective desks: Daphnes at the north end, by the clock window; the newly-promoted General Midna toward the western wall; Lady Impa and her adopted son, Sheik, in front of Midna's desk; one empty desk in front of that of Sheik and Impa's, belonging to me and Zelda; two more empty desks by the eastern wall, clearly belonging to the captive generals, Ravio and Hilda; and one more person.

"Rupin?" I asked with disbelief. "What are you doing here?" The question had a double meaning. The Happy Mask Salesman had been fired from the agency, so I was a bit confused at his presence. Also, Rupin had stayed in the Koholint Province with Robin, asking about any masks he knew, and Zelda and I had left him there at exactly 1600. We had quite a lengthy head start, so it was odd that Rupin had beaten us to the Clock Tower_-_\- especially with that ridiculously large backpack of his.

Rubbing his hands together and grinning devilishly_-_\- an act that seemed to be a habit_-_\- Rupin explained, "I was rehired. It eased their pressure a bit; I already was given classified information. I easily could have relayed it to Hyrule."

"So you blackmailed us," Zelda said bluntly, placing a hand on her hip.

Sheik smirked at the typically quiet blonde's humor. He cracked his taped knuckles, trying to appear threatening as Rupin's attention was turned toward him. "Not like there would be consequences for blackmailing a powerful, federal agency that specializes in lethality against Hyrule," he said sarcastically, lengthening the description of the agency for effect. "And traitors alike."

Rupin turned back to Zelda, maintaining the disturbing grin. "See? If I were blackmailing you, I'd be locked up, or even killed," he turned to Sheik, his words now icy, "due to your _lethality_."

"But how'd you get here so fast?" I asked the odd man.

"Boy, you forget what I specialize in." Rupin withdrew a pale brown strap that'd curve around the head. Two black beads were at the top, as if they were eyes, and large, floppy ears protruded upward from the headband. "This is the bunny hood," he explained. "It gives the wearer enhanced speed and endurance."

"Clearly," I muttered.

"Link, Zelda," Daphnes said, rising to his feet, "please, seat yourselves at your desk and begin your research."

"Sir, Zelda and I had already discovered the last shard's location," I stated. "We visited Robin_-_\- he told us that Ganondorf sent an unusual amount of troops to the Faron Province."

"And," Zelda added, "there is one more matter we must attend to." Somehow, in the presence of her father, Zelda managed to transform into a completely different person.

"And what would that be?"

"It's a very long story," I said, "and Rupin knows it best. With all due respect, sir, I believe that we are no longer needed here; perhaps we could get a head start on our mission."

Daphnes stroked his beard, thinking. "Affirmative. You should be able to arrive in Faron by morning." He pointed eastward. "A block down that way is our artillery base. You'll find all gadgets and weaponry necessary for your mission." He pointed northward, out of the clock window, toward Termina Field. "I will send a convoy to take you to Faron. They will be located there, in the northern outskirts of Clock Town."

"Thank you, sir," I said with a salute.

"Will you need any assistance during your mission?" Midna inquired, cocking her head.

"It'd be nice if we could communicate with the agency during the mission," I said. "Other than that, I think we can tackle this mission alone."

"As you always have," Daphnes said with a proud nod of the head. "Good luck, and may the goddesses be with you."

"And you."

We left, and after we exited the enormous Clock Tower, we headed eastward along Main Street. I held Zelda's hand, and she looked at me with a saddened smile. She was tugged backward slightly as I stopped walking, and she looked into my eyes with her sparkling pair of oceans. I gently brought her into a kiss, a short but intimate one, and then separated myself from her soft lips, maintaining my hold around her nonetheless.

"What was that for…?" she breathed, still smiling in the aftermath of the kiss.

"Just if we don't have time later," I said. "I haven't had much time to kiss you lately." That was true; during the plague and all the recent conflicts we've encountered, I'd maybe kissed her twice_-_\- after I'd been cured, of course.

She smiled and planted another soft kiss on my lips, then said softly, "I love you."

"I love you too."

The passersby couldn't seem to ignore the fact that I was standing there, holding a girl in my arms and kissing her. Everyone's eyes seemed to dart to us as they walked by, doing everything _but_ minding their own business. Maybe I'd been more widely recognized as the rogue prodigy called "Shadow Agent" from Hyrule, and they were intrigued by my presence. Or maybe it was the fact that the rogue prodigy was kissing another rogue prodigy, who happened to be the daughter of the leader of Lorule and rightful Princess of (the real) Hyrule.

Sighing, I let go of Zelda, but kept my hand around hers, and we continued eastward along Main Street. Once we arrived at an intersection, we waited at the corner of the sidewalk with a dozen other people ready to cross, watching the various cabs and military trucks whizzing by. Finally, the cars heading north and south stopped as the stoplight flashed red, and the sign at the other end of the street switched from a red "DON'T WALK" to a white "WALK".

We did as the sign said, and once we made it to the other side, I searched for the presence of Lorulean troops, who would certainly be guarding the artillery base. After another minute of walking, I saw four men standing outside a stout building with a large, steel, garage door entrance. The men were adorned in camouflage outfits with black bulletproof vests over the chest and abdomen, baring the Lorulean symbol of the Triforce printed on the upper right breast pocket_-_\- but oddly, it was upside down. They had blank faces as they stared at nothing in particular, their assault rifles held at the ready.

"Excuse me, sirs," I said, withdrawing my Lorulean ID badge from my green tunic and showing it to them. I also clicked my tongue to activate the microphone that Midna had given me to communicate with the HQ. As I did so, a terrible realization occurred to me: I was unarmed. "Sir Daphnes instructed me to go to the artillery base and arm myself with needed weaponry for a mission I was assigned. Would you allow me access?"

The head soldier bent down to study my badge, then, in a deep, monotonous voice, said, "Link."

"Uh… yes," I said nervously.

Then I heard Midna's faint voice, but she wasn't talking to me; perhaps to Daphnes. "I don't remember stationing guards outside the artillery base_-_\- its security system is solely a handprint scanner." There was a pause as all of the soldiers stared intensely at me, then lowered their gaze to the hand I held tightly to Zelda's- my right hand. "Link! You hear me?"

"Yes," I whispered, barely moving my lips.

"Get out of there! Those aren't-"

The whites of the soldiers' eyes turned a deep, demonic black, their pupils and irises an intense red. The humanoids pointed their guns at me, snarling in unison, "Triforce."

I quickly activated the force field on my tactical belt, then pressed the button again to give both myself and Zelda a force field. As the bullets bounced harmlessly off of it, I dashed forward and swept my leg high enough to kick the leader's gun out of his grasp. The demonic soldier growled and threw a punch at me, striking me in the jaw_-_\- unfortunately, force fields only blocked projectiles. I shifted my jaw and loosened it, trying to rid myself of the pain.

The leader followed up with another punch, which I caught in my palm; another soldier came up behind me and withdrew a knife, while the other two soldiers weakened my force field with bullets. I swung the leader and threw him backwards into the other guy, who had the knife, and they toppled over into the street. A cab honked its horn and tried to hit the brakes, but it skidded and, luckily for me, rammed into the two soldiers.

The other two remained, and finally my force field dissipated. I swore as the soldiers reloaded, which meant I had time. "Link!" called Zelda. I looked behind me, where Zelda was taking cover behind the crashed taxi. I sprinted toward it, leaping over the hood and sliding past the windshield, landing on the other side. The driver rolled down his window and looked at me, mortified. "Shadow Agent," he said, "what are you doing?"

"Take cover," I told him. "These aren't real soldiers; they're imposters."

The driver looked out of the passenger window toward the soldiers, who were slowly walking to the cab, poised with their guns. He looked back at me and handed me a black object. "Take my pistol," he said.

I nodded in thanks, then looked at Zelda. She sat with her back to the cab, breathing rapidly. She stared at her hands, which sparkled briefly. I took in a deep breath, bracing myself for the imminent standoff.

Leaping up, I turned to the oncoming soldiers and fired three rounds at each of them_-_\- I struck the lead one twice in the chest, who crippled to the ground, and I struck the other one in the leg. He twitched in pain, but pursued nonetheless. His assault rifle shot rapidly, but I dodged out of the way, landing hard on my stomach. I rolled over on my back as the soldier got closer, but he refrained from shooting. I panicked and shot two rounds at the soldier with a shaky hand, which hit him once in the stomach and once in the hip. I pulled the trigger thrice more, but the gun clicked in response- empty. The soldier smiled with sharp, demonic teeth, his black and red eyes stabbing my soul. "Triforce!" he snarled.

Then he raised his gun and pointed it downward, and all I could see was a blinding white light.

They say that right before a life-threatening event, your life flashes before your eyes.

And it did.

I was standing in the ruined Temple of Time. The firelight licked the piles of bricks and flickered sporadically, giving the room a romantic, yellow-orange glow.

And Zelda stood in front of me, her sparkling pair of oceans staring into my own eyes, her soft lips parted just slightly as she spoke in her silky smooth voice. Her blonde hair sprawled out behind her, tied behind her head just below her shoulder blades with green and pink ribbons. Two long strands that ended at her chest matched the back with the same ribbon patterns. Her attire_-_\- she wore a pink scarf over her white sweater and dark jeans with short brown boots_-_\- just added to her overpowering beauty.

And the moment was just perfect_-_\- she thanked me for being there for her. And then our lips met.

That was, by far, the best moment of my usually-awful life.

The blinding light faded, and to my dismay, I could open my eyes. Lying on the ground were the ashes of the disintegrated demon. Baffled, I looked up, and I saw Zelda standing by the taxi, her right hand still glowing as she kept it pointed toward the ashes. Finally, she lowered her hand, our eyes locked.

"Zel," I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper.

She looked at her hand, and a wave of fear and horror swept across her face. "L-Link, what did I just do?"

I slowly rose to my feet, still bewildered myself. "Saved my life," I said bluntly, eyes wide as I looked left and right, seeing no one else but Zelda, three corpses, and a pile of ash. Apparently everyone had departed out of fear. I looked at the pistol in my hand, then walked toward the taxi that Zelda stood next to.

The driver looked even more mortified than before. He babbled, "M-m-magic…!"

"Hey," I said, grabbing his attention. "Thank you for the weapon." I handed it to him, and he took it with a shaky, sweaty hand. "I suggest you reload it."

I turned around, back to Zelda, who was staring at her hand. It had stopped glowing. I walked out to the desolate street and wrapped my arms around Zelda, who was shaking as she gripped the back of my tunic with small fingers. I stroked her blonde hair gently, soothing her, and we stood their in one another's arms.

"Thank you," I whispered.

She gripped my tunic tighter in response, wrinkling her nose and burrowing her face deeper into the crook of my neck and shoulder. I gently kissed the top of her head, then rested my head atop hers, as she clung to my back. The thought just occurred to me.

Why was she so upset?

I figured it was because she thought she killed someone. But she had no choice. What else could she have done_-_\- let me _die? The_n she'd be even more upset.

I flatter myself too much.

I brushed a strand of golden hair out of her eyes as I parted slightly from her. She hadn't shed a tear, but was nearing to it. I slowly brought her back into my embrace as a low beeping noise sounded in my earpiece.

And then, "Link? Link, do you copy?"

Zelda heard it too, so she reluctantly parted from me. "Yes," I said, keeping one arm around Zelda's waist.

"And Zelda? Is she faring well?" Midna asked.

"You could say that," I said.

"I don't know what happened there_-_\- I must've lost signal. I wonder if this is their doing. Do any imposters remain?"

"I'm pretty sure no one remains…"

"What!?" she demanded, panicking. "How many casualties_-_-"

"No! That's not what I meant! Zero casualties." I took a deep breath, then continued. "The street is empty. Everyone was scrambling to leave, and the next thing I knew they were all gone."

"Hmm…" Midna said. "I doubt it is anything concerning. You must've lost consciousness."

"I must have."

"Does Zelda know what happened?"

"Maybe."

"Put her on the mic," the Twili said.

"She isn't in the mood for talking," I said quietly, but I knew Zelda could hear me.

"Is she able? Agent Link, the princess still hasn't discovered her true destiny, which will be the most vital_-_-"

"I already said she's fine! Calm down, Midna." I thought about what she had said. "What 'true destiny'?"

"Another time," she said forcefully. "I've said too much."

"No, you_-_-"

"Get to the artillery base, and take as much as you need. Good luck, Agent Link." And the earpiece beeped again, signaling that she had disabled our connection.

_Damn,_ I thought. Midna's too difficult to work with.

Zelda looked up at me with shiny, sorrowful eyes, and I hugged her closer to me and began walking back to the sidewalk, toward the steel garage door. At the center of it was an ID badge scanner, to which I swiped mine through the indent. A portion of the garage door folded inward, revealing a small, locker-sized room with a green handprint scanner. I placed my palm to the technology, and lighter green pixels swept past my hand upward and downward as it read my prints. I retracted my hand as text displayed:

AGENT LINK:

ACCESS GRANTED.

The garage door rolled upward, revealing a dark room about the size of my apartment. As soon as Zelda and I stepped inside, the garage door slammed shut, causing Zelda to jump, startled. Dim lights flicked on, revealing large crates, labeled, "AMMUNITION", that lined the walls. In the center were rows similar crates, labeled, "TACTICAL EQUIPMENT". A bit in front of those crates was one large, silver suitcase, labeled, "WEAPONRY".

Zelda stood with her back against the steel door as I went to work. I started at the suitcase, flipping the silver top open. Many, many weapons lay in the large suitcase, strapped to its black velvet lining. In the top left corner was a collection of rocket launchers, which I disregarded_-_\- too heavy for missions. In the middle was a large rifle, a sniper, in fact. It was long, sleek, and had a decent scope. I unstrapped the rifle and picked it up, weighing it. It was light, easy to carry. Next, I aimed at the back wall, acting as though I was about to shoot, pressing my eye to the scope. It took about half a second to focus, then I could see every detail in the wall. Satisfied with the weapon, I stood up, then strapped the gun to my back with the help of my tactical belt. I kept searching the suitcase, withdrawing two pistols and two blasters_-_\- one of each for both me and Zelda. I closed the suitcase, since nothing else seemed to catch my eye.

I moved on top the ammunition crates, easily picking out the clips I needed for the pistols and sniper rifle. Then I searched for two batteries, finding them in the corner. They were white with blue lights shining out the tops, and were put into blasters the same way clips were put into pistols. After loading each gun and clicking the safety feature on, a soft voice alerted my pointy ears. "Link?"

I turned to look at Zelda, who was walking toward me, her eyes still shining, still wet. I handed her her rightful weapons, and she took them. Her eyes fell as she strapped them to the belt of her dark jeans. Then she looked back up at me, and I raised by eyebrows expectantly. Instead of speaking, she brought her lips to mine, gripping the front of my tunic with her pale hands. Slightly caught off guard, I cupped her cheek with one hand and wrapped my other arm around her back.

Much to my anger, we were interrupted. The earpiece beeped again, and, loud enough for both of us to hear, Sheik's voice snickered, "You're lucky Daphnes ain't here to see you two."

I parted from Zelda, then searched frantically around the room for a camera. Finally my eyes fell upon the camera in the ceiling corner by the left side of the garage door. I shot a glare at the camera, and Zelda did the same thing, but she still clung to me, and I, her.

"Turn those frowns upside d_-_-"

A more serious, commanding voice took over. "Don't touch the microphone!" It was Midna. I laughed at Sheik's immaturity; even Zelda stifled a giggle. "Ugh. I don't know how to put up with that boy…" Midna grumbled.

I chuckled, then released my hold on Zelda and went over to the crates of gadgets. I easily recognized a few round, purple objects as Ravio's "hyper grapples." I swiped up four of those, then looked for anything else. My eyes fell upon a collection of white spheres, each with an orange painted "L" pattern. I turned one over to the back, inspecting it, when I saw a sticker with words on it. The sticker read:

L-BOMB:

THROW AT THE CENTER OF A LOCATION CONSISTING OF HYLIAN BLASTERS. EVERY HYLIAN BLASTER IN A THREE-MILE RADIUS WILL BE DISABLED FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE MINUTES. THIS OBJECT IS NOT EXPLOSIVE.

"Well, this'll be handy," I said quietly to myself, taking three L-Bombs. I turned to Zelda, who was waiting by the door. "I think we have enough. Shall we head to Faron?" Zelda nodded. I stowed the gadgets I'd collected into a backpack that was lying on the floor.

Then, taking Zelda's hand in mine, I led her out of the dark shelter, and we headed off toward the convoy in the north end of the Termina Province.

* * *

**Ugh, I wanted to fit the Faron mission into this chapter, but I really wanted to update for you all. I'll update again soon, hopefully within a week.**

**Once again, Happy Holidays!**

**I hope this chapter doesn't ruin the holiday spirit; it's pretty dark and depressing… Sorry. I'll try to include happier moments and some more humor in the following chapters. This chapter was kinda dull, especially in the end, but thanks for reading it anyway. Keep in mind that the sniper that Link gets will be an important weapon of his. It's also the one he's carrying in the cover art of this FF.**

**To be continued!**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	16. Lost

**Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! You guys are rad.  
**

**IMPORTANT: So remember a few weeks ago I asked if you wanted this to be a trilogy or a long story? Well, I'm about to blow your freaking minds: I'm gonna do BOTH. *Crowd goes wild* Anyway, allow me to explain: this story will have three parts, but they will ALL be in this story. (That way, you wouldn't have to bother finding my other stories if I made them separate. I'm all about the convenience, yo.) "Shadow Agent" is the title for Part I and the whole trilogy itself. Part II is named "King of Shadows" and Part III is named "Shadow's Bane". (We're almost done with Part I.) Due to this, there will be a format change at the beginning of the following chapters, but only at the chapter title area. BAM. Consider your minds blown.**

**ALSO IMPORTANT: I was rereading some of my earlier chapters and I noticed that in chapter 7 (and maybe in others) I said there were eight shards to the completed Triforce of Wisdom. Sorry; I meant to say seven. As you know, Zelda and Link got the three shards from Ghirahim, Vaati, and Robin. The remaining four shards have yet to be revealed.**

**Song suggestions: Beginning, romance- "Zelda's Theme" (SS OST) / Action- "Hidden Village" (TP OST) / Hilda, Ravio- "Ghirahim's Theme" (SS OST) / Pipit, Groose, Malon- "Against Ganondorf" (TP OST) / Drama- "Forest Temple" (TP OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

* * *

**PART I - SHADOW AGENT**

**Chapter 16: Lost**

* * *

2300 HOURS.

FARON WOODS, FARON PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: HYRULE.

48 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

"I killed a man, Link."

"No, you didn't."

Silence.

"Look, Zelda, that wasn't a man; you saw its eyes. That was a monster."

She shook her head but remained silent. Her once-glimmering eyes were now dull as she gazed into the crackling fire. Zelda shoved her right hand into her jeans pocket, refusing to look at it after what she had done.

I shifted uncomfortably on the hard log we sat on, then scooted closer to her, wrapping my arm around her shoulder. "Zel, you saved me."

She rested the side of her head on my shoulder, still staring at the small campfire. "But look what happened."

"What, a demon disintegrated?" I mused, my lips curving into a small smile. "Would you rather have _it _be alive instead of_ me_?"

A minuscule grin appeared on her face. "If you don't watch your mouth, then yes."

I chuckled, lightly kissing the top of her blonde head. Though it came out as a light laugh, I told her, "I love you."

"Love you t_-_-"

"Jeez, guys, don't you _ever_ turn off the mic?" came Sheik's voice in my headset.

"Ugh," I groaned. "Sheik, don't you have some sleeping to do?"

"Could say the same for _you_ two_-_\- but I don't want to stick around to hear that."

"Ew," Zelda replied into her microphone. She had received one from the soldiers when we arrived at the convoy, which took us to the outskirts of the forest and then left. "We aren't like that, Sheik."

"I don't want to find out. That's why I'm asking you to turn off your mic."

"What are you doing at the agency?" Zelda asked.

"Got kicked outta the apartment," came the blunt reply. "Apparently flinging water balloons out the window into the streets is '_violating the apartment policy_'." Zelda stifled a giggle, and I snickered at my idiotic coworker. "So I came here. Figured I'd investigate that incident from earlier today."

I heard a faint rustling sound. "You're going through Ravio and Hilda's desks aren't you?"

"Yep."

"They already searched through the desks," I said. "There were only files and worthless sheets of paper."

"I won't believe it 'til I know for sure."

I shook my head at his stubbornness. "Fine. What have you found out so far?"

"Uh… nothing." I scoffed as Sheik continued speaking, all the while rummaging through the desks. "I _do_ have some speculations, though."

"Like what?"

"Well, did you notice anything odd about those imposters?"

"Gee, _let me think_," I mused. "They _did_ have black eyes with bright red centers, but that seems to be pretty normal nowadays."

"I can do without the sarcasm. What else?"

"Well, their vests had the Triforce emblem, but it was upside down."

"Hm…" The rummaging increased, more fervently now. "Whoa, Link, Zelda, I just found something!"

"What?" we both asked, our curiosities peaked.

"It's a document in Hilda's desk. You got your phone on ya?"

"Yes," I said.

"'Kay. Let me send the picture."

Five seconds later my FiPhone buzzed. I took it out of my pocket, unlocked the screen with a fingerprint scanner, and opened up the picture from Sheik. "What _is_ this?"

"Crazy, yeah?"

The document had the Lorulean emblem stamped in the top left corner, but it was upside down. It seemed like it was just a haphazard job, but I figured it had correlation with the demonic soldiers from earlier today. Then, text below it read:

_Report of Lorule's condition -  
_

_Ikana castle discovered._

_Seers received new clan leader._

_East Lorule reached population of 500._

_Outset lighthouse suffered damage._

_Field of Termina home to migrating horses._

_Demons in Haunted Wasteland discovered._

_Artillery transferred to Clock Town._

_Remains of a Zora washed up on_

_Koholint Beach._

_West Lorule decreased population to 750._

_Outset defense improved._

_Return of Princess Zelda and upbringing of_

_Link, prodigy and ex-agent of Castle Town._

_Deku invaded by foreign flora: Babas._

"Why is it formatted so weird?" I asked Sheik. "I can barely understand what it says."

"Look along the left margin," Sheik said grimly. "The capital letters."

I did. And he was right; there was something odd. I read the words that the capital letters formed, and my eyes widened, along with Zelda's, as I said them. "…Rise of dark world."

Sheik scoffed. "Dark world, eh? Turns out Hilda and Ravio are part of some freaky cult."

"The dark world doesn't exist anymore," I said. "Its alternate Triforce was destroyed centuries ago."

"They must be hoping to reconstruct it, or something."

"Where? The only land nowadays is the light world, and you can't build a 'dark world' in the light world."

"No idea what's going through those psychopaths' heads." Sheik sighed. "What do you think the upside down Triforce means?"

I thought for a bit about the legend of the dark world. "It's probably our Triforce's counterpart; the one that got destroyed," I said darkly, "and maybe their group's symbol."

"Their 'group'?"

"Yeah… Remember when you gave me the cure for the plague?"

Sheik's words were laced with humor. "Like the true hero I am, _yes_, I remember."

"And remember when Ravio stopped you with a group of soldiers?"

"Like the _jackass_ he is, _yes_, I remember."

I rolled my eyes as Zelda giggled. "Well those soldiers also had those eyes."

"…They did, didn't they?" Sheik scoffed again. "I guess I was too busy being a hero that I didn't notice it." He paused, as if pondering my train of thought. Then, out of realization: "Shit, I knew Hilda was a traitor!"

"…And Ravio," I added.

"Well, I always suspected Hilda was, more so than Ravio; hot girls usually have a crazy, murderous side."

"Well, not Zelda." The blonde smiled at my odd compliment, patting my hand gently with hers, humored at the conversation.

"Ha! How _cute_. You just haven't discovered her insanity yet."

Zelda rolled her eyes, then told Sheik, "Yep. So watch out, Sheik; I'm coming for _you_ next."

The Sheikah laughed. "Your restraining order is in the mail."

* * *

"Hilda, why are we going to do this?"

The young princess spun around and looked scornfully at Ravio as if he'd insulted the golden goddesses. "_Why_?" She scoffed, then turned back around to stare longingly at the floor. "…What good is a princess to a broken kingdom?"

Ravio couldn't help but agree; there was no good. He played with the bronze coin in his hand, wishing more than ever that he could use it to return home_-_\- he'd always hated the light world, even though it was "beautiful," as everyone made it out to be. Sure, the dark world was a wreck and people thought it no longer existed, but it was still his home, and he missed it. He once again wished he could leave the cell, return home, and see his pet Sheerow, whom he'd sent back due to his similar hatred of the light world. But as soon as the thought crossed his mind he rejected it; he couldn't leave Hilda. She could be power-hungry, of course, but he still cared about her. Quite a bit, in fact.

"Ugh," the princess grumbled with frustration. "They still haven't interrogated us."

"Maybe they don't plan to," Ravio guessed, drawing her attention. "Maybe they know what we have done, and they plan to keep us down here as prisoners, waiting to be '_interrogated,' _as they said, for a lifetime."

"A reasonable assumption…" Hilda stamped her foot. "One more day. If no one comes, we leave. Objections?"

"No."

She stared briefly at the bronze coin held by Ravio's pale thumb and forefinger, and then after Ravio tucked it away in his fist, she flicked her eyes back up to his. "…Good."

* * *

0600 HOURS.

FARON WOODS, FARON PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: HYRULE.

52 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

I woke just as the very first rays of light peeked through the dense assortment of trees. Rubbing my eyes, I sat upright from my previous lying position, dusting off the dirt on the back of my tunic. But as I did so, I disrupted the other occupant of the heavy blanket we had slept under. Zelda's eyelids slowly parted, and she looked at me as I absently stretched. I hadn't noticed that she was awake until seconds later, when I turned to find her propped up on one elbow, smiling at me.

I started, surprised by her presence. "Zel?" She giggled at my confused expression. "Um, since when have you been here?"

"Uh, since _last night,_ when you said, 'Hey, Zel, come lay with me.' You _tired_ or something?" she teased.

I yawned, then rubbed my eyes. "No. I'm wide awake."

"Clearly." She yawned quietly. "Why up so early?"

"You see, we have this thing that we're supposed to do; it's called a _mission_."

She rolled her eyes. "Hey, I'm tired too."

"Clearly."

Zelda hit me in the arm, giggling, earning a light laugh from me in return. Then came a crackling noise in my earpiece, followed by a low beep. "Link, Zelda." It was Midna. I sagged my shoulders, somewhat disappointed that it wasn't my idiotic coworker, but instead, the refined and serious general. I would much prefer an entertaining conversation, but I knew that it was time for action. "The radar is picking up enemy signals. I detect a squadron of Hylians headed your way."

My eyes widened. "Okay. Thanks." As I surveyed our makeshift campsite from last night, I saw several tell-tale signs that we had been here. I scrambled to stuff the heavy blanket into the backpack filled with our gadgets, and it just barely fit.

"Hurry, Agent Link."

Zelda ran to gather some leaves from the foliage nearby, and I made my way to the dead campfire, picking up coals and sticks and hurling them southward, where we had come from. She came with a pile of green leaves, dropping them onto the charred dirt where the fire had blazed, attempting to hide it.

"Fifty yards north of you," Midna informed.

The pile of leaves did a decent job of obscuring the site of the dead fire, but part of it was noticeable despite our efforts. I clicked my tongue, deactivating the headset; we had to be quiet, and even the most faint noise could attract attention. I quickly gathered up my sniper, strapped it on my back, though I doubted I'd use it.

My ears perked up, detecting the faint sound of voices to the north. My breath grew quiet, withdrawn, and I crept silently to Zelda, wrapping my arm around her waist and taking out my phone, breathing out, "_Teleport_," and concentrating on a tree branch not too far away. We left silently, reappearing on a thick tree branch a bit to the east, with foliage overhanging that provided more privacy from the campsite. I peeked through the foliage, but Zelda stayed behind me, clinging to the trunk silently.

They advanced into the clearing, three of them, adorned in different clothing. Of the two flanks, one was male, and the other, female. The male was large, huge, in fact, with a green collar over his blue shirt. He wore khaki pants with red patterns along the thighs, and he had large brown boots. The female wore a cream-colored top, an orange collar, and a long purple skirt that ended just above her ankles, which were covered by brown Hylian boots, similar to the male. In the lead was a familiar male in a yellow tunic, identical in style to mine, with a matching yellow cap that swayed in the wind. All three of them had silver lettering on the right breast, reading: HBI. They were, respectively, Groose, Malon, and Pipit.

The three of them walked tentatively into the campsite, their blasters held in their holsters. "Hold it," Pipit ordered, raising a finger. "…Someone was here." He pointed to the covered campfire, and I cursed my inability to hide it better.

Groose rubbed his fist in his palm, clearly eager for action. "If it's that damn Sheikah, I'm gonna split him in two!"

"The Sheikah boy wouldn't be here," Malon said meekly. "The person here is definitely after what we're after_-_\- and we all know who _that_ person is."

"The blonde," said Groose, looking down in shame. Pipit and Malon looked at him, knowing all too well that Groose knew Zelda's name; he appeared to be trying to forget her.

"She was the one who had the pendant. She had the two shards…" Pipit clenched his fist in frustration.

"And the blonde is always with someone else we know," Malon muttered. This time it was Groose and Pipit who looked at her because of her inference to my name. She looked around the campsite, and much against my _constant_ prayers to the goddesses, her eyes flicked up too meet mine. I froze, stunned beyond belief at my rotten luck. And she froze; her maroon eyes were locked with mine, and time seemed to stop. I thought I was a goner, that she'd yell for her allies to come and take me away, away from Zelda. And Ganondorf wouldn't bother locking me up in prison; he'd just execute me, like I deserved after causing so much trouble for his kingdom.

But she didn't. Instead, Malon took in a shaky breath, eyes wet. Our eye contact broke as she turned to Pipit. "It isn't them," she said calmly. Pointing to one of my disregarded footprints, she continued explaining. "They're Lorulean now. Look at those prints; you see the Great Sword imprint in them. Hylian boots." I thanked the holy three for Malon's considering and quick wits, despite the horrible luck I'd received moments before.

Pipit looked skeptical as he studied the footprints. I held my breath as a long pause came. "…You're right. Probably just another search party."

Malon's eyes came back to mine, then she turned and followed her two coworkers down the path.

I released my breath, relief washing over me. Zelda still clung to the trunk with one arm, silently looking at the ground below. "We're safe now," I said quietly. "Luckily, I didn't switch my boots when we got to Lorule."

She just nodded, maintaining her gaze at the ground.

"Afraid of heights?"

Another nod.

I pulled her close to me, and we returned to the ground below the tree we hid in. Clicking my tongue, I activated the headset, only to hear a startling yell.

"AGENT LIIIIIIIIIIIINK!"

"Dammit, Sheik!" I yelled back. "Shut up! You deafened me!"

"Dude, don't turn off your mic at a moment like that! You nearly gave Midna a heart attack!"

Zelda just then activated her headset, luckily not early enough to hear Sheik yell. "Well, just last night you complained about us having our mic on all the time. Which do you want, Sheik?"

Midna then took the mic. "I said _don't touch the microphone_, you _lunatic_! Ugh… Link, please don't deactivate your mic when you could potentially be under attack. The radar showed you being very still, so I was worried. I nearly sent soldiers to your aid."

"I understand, but we had to be quiet; they were searching for us."

"Okay, then let me know next time. I'll silence the lunatic for you."

"Hey!"

"Heh, Sheik, you must be a girl now," I chimed. "According to you, all girls are lunatics."

"Then I'm a _hot_ girl," he snickered. "All hot girls are lunatics."

"Okay, agents, get a move on," Midna ordered. "A hundred yards northeast from where you are, a hoard of Hylians are gathered-"

Another interruption. "Mister Hero!" Rupin. "You better get that mask, or we're all gone. It's got to be in the Lost Woods, where all those imps live. Understand?"

I groaned. "Yes. Now give up the mic."

"Fine."

Midna spoke up. "Get out! Both of you! Now!" A pause. "Men. Honestly."

"Tell me about it," Zelda mused. I shot her a confused glare, and she giggled cutely at me in reply.

Midna sighed. "If I were you, I'd focus on getting the shard first. The mask is unlikely to go anywhere."

"Unless one of those Skull Kids puts it on," I said.

"I'd doubt it," said the Twili. "The Skull Kids may be mischievous, but they're a peaceful bunch."

I shrugged at Zelda. "Guess we'd better head northeast." I unstrapped the sniper rifle from my back, holding it across my body and pointed downwards. Next, I took the backpack filled with gadgets and weaponry, digging through the heavy blanket to the bottom, where three L-Bombs lay, in addition to a pistol and Lorulean blaster. I took out the two guns, handing them to Zelda, muttering, "Just in case," then zipped up the backpack.

Zelda nervously checked to see if the safety was on, then strapped the weapons to the holsters at her hips. "Link," she began meekly, "I'm not comfortable with guns…"

I grabbed her hand, feeling the warmth of her soft skin. "You don't have to be. Those are just for emergencies." I offered her a smile. "I'll protect you."

Zelda smiled nervously as a little amount of relief washed over her. "Thank you…"

* * *

0720 HOURS.

GREAT TREE, FARON PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: HYRULE.

58 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

With my hand interlocked with Zelda's, we crept silently through the dense foliage. At the first sound of voices, we had strayed from the trail where we'd be detected and opted to continue northeast in hiding.

As the voices grew louder, I stopped, peeling back a few branches to see an open clearing out in front of me. Ganondorf really hadn't been concerned about making a scene; dozens of people were there, holding metal detectors, operating excavation machinery, or just guarding the premises. The majority of them stood several yards away from the base of the Great Tree, where a large tractor-like machine was clawing out loads of soil with mechanical jaws.

"They must think the shard's there," I whispered to Zelda. She nodded, but her gaze was elsewhere; I followed it to the west. Pipit was communicating with a soldier, who was guarding a gigantic, hollow log next to the Great Tree. I figured this was the entrance to the fabled Lost Woods.

"What? …No, none of our search parties checked the southern forest," said the soldier.

"Really?" Pipit asked, earning a nod from the other man. "Damn… Then that means… we have a visitor."

"A visitor, sir?"

Pipit cupped his hands to his mouth, yelling to everyone in the excavation site, "Listen up! We have unwanted guests! Double your security and allow no one access!" Everyone turned to Pipit and unanimously saluted.

Zelda looked at me with worried eyes. "_Stay here_," I whispered, taking her hand in both of mine for a brief moment, savoring the warmth of her fingertips. She nodded, then released my hand, leaving to cower in the safety of a bush a few feet away.

With a feeling of guilt welling up inside of me for leaving her there, I crept through the foliage, circling my way around the clearing toward the Great Tree, which would be a great vantage point. It would be there that, if done successfully, I'd activate an L-Bomb, deactivating all Hylian blasters within the area for a period of five minutes_-_\- hopefully that would give me enough time to swipe the unearthed shard without being shot down. Though, I would have to watch out for regular bullets… But I'd doubt that they'd figure out that their blasters didn't work in time to stop me. Foolproof!

With a few minor flaws, that is.

After a near minute of silent trudging, I was met with even denser vegetation to my left and a highly-abnormally-sized log that led inside the thick forest. Knowing I'd arrived at the Lost Woods entrance, I had three options for getting to the Great Tree. First, I could go through the Lost Woods, and, obviously, get _lost_. Next, I could brave the path in front of the log, but risk being detected in the clear openness. Or third, I could trudge all the way around the other side of the clearing, but only be faced with the same problem, since there was another opening between the Great Tree and the foliage where I'd be able to hide.

I ruled out one and three, opting instead for the easiest, but still very difficult, plan. I'd have to think of a way to get across the edge of the clearing while remaining undetected. And I'd have to start with the lone sentinel guarding the entrance to the Lost Woods_-_\- which, to me, seemed like a useless position. As if some _Skull Kid_ would come up and swipe the shard.

Maybe Zelda could use her magic to create some kind of diversion. I quietly pulled out my FiPhone. As soon as I turned it on, Fi's voice said, "Welcome back, Master L_-_-"

I quickly silenced it, then held my breath. My heart sank as the soldier let out a confused, "Hmm?" I stuffed the phone back into my pocket, only to make more noise by crunching a branch in the dirt. I mentally swore, scolding myself for my clumsiness. I peered out through a break in the foliage to see the soldier withdrawing his blaster when he spoke again. "Who's there?"

Damn.

I thought about withdrawing my gun_-_\- no. That'd just draw more attention to myself, and if a gunshot rang out, Zelda would be worried, and she'd try to find me, thus putting herself in danger. Should I use my knife? …Only if I had to. I gripped the hilt of the knife so the blade faced behind me, and I kept my other fist clenched and poised, staying perfectly still.

Through the break in the foliage, I could see the man creeping closer until, in one swift movement, he shoved the branches away. His eyes locked with mine but he had no chance to react; I pulled him into the dense vegetation, driving the hilt of my blade into his temple. The man crippled, unconscious, and fell to the dirt.

I released an icy breath of relief. He wasn't dead, but I wouldn't have to deal with him again. Remembering my plan, I took my phone out again, sending Zelda a message.

.flesruoy ot noitnetta ward t'nseod ti erus ekaM .gbiraelc eht fo tsae noisrevid a etaerc esaelP

(Please create a diversion east of the clearing. Make sure it doesn't draw attention to yourself.)

I pocketed my cell phone, kneeling down and peeing out through the branches. Ten seconds passed. Nothing had changed. Twenty seconds. Still nothing. Thirty seconds. A minute. Two minutes.

I began to worry; maybe she'd been discovered. Maybe she was captured and would be brought before the king, and I was at fault… Maybe they'd kill her. All because I screwed up and left her alone with just a meager pair of guns to defend herself against a whole squadron of highly-trained soldiers.

No. Zelda was a prodigy. She wasn't given a perfect 900 for nothing. She had skills_-_\- the examiners knew it, I knew it… hell, even King Ganondorf knew it. If the Hylians were to find her, she'd put up one hell of a fight. And I'd be rushing over there to fight by her side. Was _that _were I should be? By her side, instead of attempting to tackle the majority of this mission on my own?

My questions were answered when I heard a loud explosion sound not too far from where I was hiding. And by Din, it came from the east. Zelda was okay. Though I really worried about her, a part of me knew she could take care of herself. I then realized… Zelda was always with me, always by my side.

Every soldier's head turned to the east, including Pipit's, Groose's, and Malon's. Pipit shouted for the excavators to keep digging while he led all of the foot soldiers to the east. For a smart guy, that was a dumb move. I dashed out of the foliage, toward the Great Tree, and began to clamber up the wooden trunk with the help of the hyper grapples. They clung to the wood with enough strength to hold me up, but not too much that I wouldn't be able to pry them off. In a matter of seconds, I made it to a large branch halfway up the tree, then went to work. I unzipped the backpack and withdrew a white L-Bomb, feeling the cool, smooth surface of the circular object. I wondered how to detonate it, then saw the pin jutting out subtly from the orange-painted "L".

But I didn't detonate the bomb right away. Instead, I held still, lying on my stomach and peering out at the clearing below. The yellow machine clawed up another quantity of dirt, then dropped it into the mountainous pile. Wishing I owned a pair of binoculars, I took my sniper and looked through the scope at the mountain of soil. I surveyed it, looking up and down and even zooming in further to try and see extra details, but I came up short. No shiny golden shard. That is, until another pile was dropped onto the mountain, and a glowing object slid down the slope and rested in the thin blades of grass at the bottom of the pile.

Bingo.

Luckily, no one on the excavation site noticed the shard yet. Snickering silently to myself as the very first few soldiers reappeared in the clearing from their investigation in the east, I pulled the pin on the L-Bomb, setting it on the branch. As a low-pitch hum settled throughout the site, I prepared myself for the encounter by activating a force field. My eyes then drifted back upward to the Hylian soldiers. There was Pipit in the lead, holding only a blaster, with Groose and a very guilty-looking Malon in tow.

But the two soldiers behind the Hylian prodigies were what really caught my eye. They were burly, larger than Groose, and both carried assault rifles, which unfortunately would not be affected by the L-Bomb. And my heart nearly stopped when I saw it.

When I saw _her..._

…being dragged along, struggling even though it was useless. The diversion she created must've drawn attention to herself. She yelped and called my name into the air, but one of the two Hylians silenced her, striking her with the end of his rifle. Her head lolled to the other side.

I didn't hesitate. The silent bullet of my sniper rifle lodged itself in the head of the first man, who had struck Zelda. I then shot the second man without wasting another second.

My knees nearly buckled as I landed hard on the ground from the jump, but the hyper grapples' damage-absorbing helped break my fall. It was then that, despite the surrounding Hylians pointing their weapons at me, I dashed forward, shoving my way past a confused Pipit and an angry Groose.

I seemed to forget about the shard as I scooped Zelda up into my arms, the force field automatically molding to accommodate the sudden shape change.

A silent figure moved swiftly from the large, hollow log, darting to the mound of dirt, where it snatched a shiny object, for it had peaked its interest. Speedily and silently, the creature skipped back to the log, its new oddity clutched in dark, gnarled hands.

With Zelda in my arms, I ran as fast as my legs would take me, pursuing the strange figure. At that moment, I wasn't worried about the shard. I just wanted to get Zelda to safety, and I knew that every Hylian feared the Lost Woods greatly.

My legs carried me into the hollow log, where the voices of pursuers faded from faint echoes to nothingness. The darkness of the log soon disappeared as we emerged into a foggy, spooky forest, with trees lining a four-way intersection made up of dirt paths.

A crackling voice sounded in my ears as I gently lowered Zelda to the grass, kneeling down before her. "Link? Link! Do you copy!"

"Yes, Midna." I sighed and brushed a strand of golden hair out of Zelda's eye, my heart shattering for her. I was supposed to keep her safe… to keep her out of danger… by my side. I should have, instead of thinking I could do things by myself. I needed Zelda, and she needed me.

"Your signals have completely vanished! Where are you, Link?"

I fought back a tear as I looked down at Zelda's unconscious body. The shrill, desperate sound of her screaming my name rang loudly in my ears as I uttered one word:

"Lost."

* * *

**That stealthy scene was inspired by Assassin's Creed. Hoped you liked this chapter!  
**

**QUESTION: After the events in this chapter, who or what do you think stole the fourth shard? Leave a review and let me know what you think!**

**ANOTHER QUESTION: Which part of this story do you enjoy the most? The romance, action, drama, or (even though it's relatively new) the humor? Once again, let me know!**

**Please take the time to answer these questions! It'll really help me as an author to know what you think!**

**Like I said, I'm trying to balance happier moments (like humor and romance) with the recent drama and action. So if you're a diehard ZeLinker, action-lover, comedy-enthusiast, or if you're interested in drama, you'll be happy from here on out.**

**To be continued!**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	17. Portal

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

**We've reached the last chapter in Part I. Because of this, all of my notes will be up here. In Part II (called "King of Shadows"), we'll explore the world of Ravio and Hilda, and even see some more of King Ganondorf.**

**Thanks for those reviews, y'all! It seems like this'll surpass my other story!**

**Also, I'm working on another story, but Shadow Agent is my first priority. Once I get a good way through this, I'll post my other one. See my profile for details.**

**Song suggestions: Drama- "Dragon Theme" (SS OST) and "Forest Theme" (TP OST) / Ravio, Hilda- "Ghirahim's Theme" (SS OST)**

**Remember: Part II will be in this story (in other words, it'll start at chapter 18). TBC. Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**

* * *

**PART I - SHADOW AGENT**

**Chapter 17: Portal**

* * *

1023 HOURS.

LOST WOODS, FARON PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: HYRULE.

51 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

As I tended to the crackling fire, Zelda lay behind me, wrapped up in a large blanket, her chest rising and falling peacefully. I felt a few tears well up inside my eyes, and it wasn't because of the smoke; it broke my heart to see her hurt.

I hadn't strayed too far from the giant log leading to Faron Woods; in fact, I set up camp only a few yards ahead of it, and to the left of the central dirt path. Instead of gritting my teeth and pushing forward without having remotely any idea of what's ahead of me, I opted to be sedentary until Zelda awakened. Which, I hoped, was soon.

"_Get out…_" The voice was barely above a whisper; it seemed to be carried by the wind. I whipped around, wondering if it was Zelda, but disregarded that thought when I saw her lying still. Surveying the nearby foliage for any pair of eyes reflecting the orangey glow of the fire, I shivered, the hairs on the back of my neck standing upright. Nothing. "_Get out_…!" It was more forceful, more commanding this time. Haunting, even.

Was it my headset? Was it Sheik or Midna trying to warn me, telling me to get out? Wondering this, I clicked my tongue as silently as possible, hearing the low beeping sound that answered my question; it hadn't been on.

I shivered again, then turned back around to face Zelda. Her face was strained as she suddenly thrashed violently within the confining blanket. "Zelda," I called, rushing to her side and holding her in my arms. I shook her in her slumber, and she recoiled at my touch, squinting her eyes with strained force. "Zelda!"

Her eyes snapped open, and she immediately brought her palm to her left temple, grimacing painfully. Our eyes met, and I would have been relieved, except that there was the problem of the haunting voice. In her meek, intimidated voice, she whispered, "L-Link?"

"It's okay, Zel." I wrapped my arms tightly around her waist, and she buried her face in the crook of my neck.

"…Was that you?" she asked me. "Who was speaking?"

"It wasn't me." Her eyes widened, and I responded with a heartfelt, reassuring squeeze of the arms, gently resting the side of my head against the top of hers. "We need to get moving," I whispered.

"…Or what?"

I shrugged. "I don't know." Rising to my feet and helping a dazed Zelda up to hers, I stopped suddenly, frozen in my footsteps.

"What is it?" Zelda followed my gaze to the log, but I lead her to hide in the foliage without taking the time to clean up our campsite. Though, I didn't forget to take my sniper and bag of gadgets, just in case.

Voices; that's what perturbed me. Strikingly familiar voices_-_\- seemingly unforgettable, despite my preferences. I mentally cringed when the voices became more clear, more distinguishable.

"…_Outraged_! _Sick_ with anger!"

"Well, you know what they say… If you want anything done right, you've got to do it yourself."

A grumble. "His Majesty was highly displeased when he heard tell of the thief… We must make haste." The voices grew louder as the two advanced.

"Hmph," replied the other. "The yellow boy informs me that the 'Shadow Agent' may be the culprit…"

"Do not refer to the vigilante by his sobriquet!" hissed the first.

There came a scoff. "It was merely for description, Ghirahim."

"I cannot _stand_ that name_-_\- what a disgrace to the arts we practice!"

"Ahem… '_we_'? Apologies, but _I_ do not take part in petty worship of demons."

"Oh, and _playing with air_ is superior," Ghirahim mocked sarcastically.

"_Air_!? Poppycock! I am the _Wind Mage_! I control and manipulate the very winds you feel blowing through your _ridiculous_ hair!"

The two generals finally emerged from the log, in the middle of a clear argument. I squeezed Zelda's hand as I peered through the bushes at Ghirahim and Vaati, two of my mortal enemies. Zelda nervously touched the pendant of three golden shards wrapped around her neck, biting her bottom lip.

"Rediculous hair, you say? Then why did you _copy_ it, hmm?"

"My gorgeously windblown locks are much more appealing than_-_-"

Ghirahim raised a finger in the air, silencing Vaati. "Halt…" He sauntered over to the campfire, which was still ablaze, then growled and spit in it. "Looks like we are going to find the traitor."

Vaati sneered. "Ooh, this is just grand."

"Need I remind you that he defeated us _both_ and stole our relics?" Ghirahim grumbled. "Tread carefully. Do not underestimate him."

"Refrain from reminding me."

I heard the haunting whisper again, and I felt chills run down my spine as another thin layer of fog rolled in. "_Get out_…!"

Vaati and Ghirahim stopped in their tracks, eyeing each other suspiciously.

"_Get out_!"

"Show yourself!" shouted the Wind Mage.

"Hehe!" The voice was more audible now, and it was strangely familiar. The two generals swung their heads in all directions, trying to locate the source. "Come and find me! …At your own risk, that is! Hehe!"

The taller general turned to the Wind Mage. "It is forward. Let us pursue."

"We are just to find the thief!"

"I am very angry! Allow me to take it out on this foolish prankster." Ghirahim clenched his fist in the air as he spoke.

"Ah, very well." Vaati flipped his lavender hair. "Maybe the prankster is the thief, not the Sh_-_-" He cut himself off, remembering Ghirahim's dislike toward the name I was given. "_-_-not the traitor."

"Another reason to pursue." Ghirahim shrugged, a sneer on his face as he withdrew his dual chrome pistols, then dashed through the woods. Vaati, directly behind the other general, summoned winds to carry him forward.

With both arms, I pushed the foliage that obscured us away, and we both exited our hiding place with caution. "They're right," I muttered to Zelda, lightly squeezing her hand. "That voice… It's the only life source we've come into contact with. It has to have the shard."

Zelda nodded, her eyes growing distant as her pointed ears perked up. "I hear something," she whispered.

"What?"

"Listen."

As I focused, I detected a faint musical tune. It had three repetitive notes, low, medium, then high. It repeated three times, and after the third time, there were two more notes_-_\- both higher than the rest. The first was the highest, the next was the second highest. Then the song repeated.

"What kind of song is that?" Zelda asked.

I shrugged, then clicked my tongue, activating the mic. "Midna_-_\- you there?"

"Yes, Agent Link."

"Turn up your volume; there's some kind of music we hear."

There was a pause, and then: "That would be the melody of the Forest Sage, popular among Skull Kids."

Zelda and I shared a look. "So a Skull Kid took the shard?"

"It appears so," the Twili said. "Follow the music; that should lead you to the shard."

"Alright."

With my right hand holding a blaster and my left hand holding Zelda's, I walked swiftly forward through the thick fog, following the music. As we progressed, I soon came to realize that we were simply in a labrynth of four-way intersections; if we were to set foot out of the path of music, we'd end up at the beginning. I knew this because I could've sworn I heard the two generals' voices behind us.

"We've got to hurry," I whispered to Zelda. She nodded, nervously glancing backwards as the tune rang faintly in our ears.

Finally we emerged in a clearing. It was densely vegetated with sunlight peeking through the top, sending rays down upon a tree stump in the middle. The fog seemed to form a circular border around the clearing, laying low in front of the trees and bushes. The tune was louder now, more clear and less of a faint echo. I looked all around, attempting to locate the thieving imp. Instead, my eyes fell upon the tree stump, where I saw one glimmering object.

"The shard," I murmured quietly.

Zelda smiled as relief washed over her. "Good; let's take it and leave. This place scares me."

"Hee hee!"

I whip my eyes around, my pistol poised. It was that voice again. Lip curling into a frustrated snarl, I walked up to the stump, with Zelda close behind.

"You'd better not! Hee!"

I hesitated, retracting my hand. "Show yourself, you coward!" When there was no reply, I quickly snatched the shard, then handed it to Zelda. She clutched it tightly at her waist, and I urged her forward, facing the stump while walking quickly backwards after her. I scanned the clearing with intent eyes, pointing my gun in all directions in attempt to intimidate the prankster_-_\- which, as I was told, was a Skull Kid.

But Zelda suddenly stopped, causing our backs to collide lightly; I spun around and met with the imp. And, to my disbelief, its dark face was obscured by a purple, heart-shaped mask with startling yellow eyes and spikes at the top and bottom. It was painted in the front with ancient tribal markings in colors of green and red.

Majora's Mask.

The Skull Kid cocked his head, then laughed ecstaticly. "Hee hee! What do we have here?"

Zelda stifled a gasp, and I stepped in front of her, gun pointed. "Are you going to give me that mask?"

"Why should I?" snickered the imp. "It's powerful. Power is _fun_!" He danced weirdly, kicking his legs out on either side rhythmically. "Now I can have fun; now I can _play_! Hee hee!"

Keeping my gun pointed at the dangerous mask, I squinted my eyes in confusion. So this was all about playing!? This creature had to be pretty lonely. "Why can't you just play with some other Skull Kids?"

The imp stopped his dance, and the eyes of Majora's Mask seemed to glow in fury. Then, annunciating every syllable forcefully, he said, "They're… all… _dead_!" So, this one was the last survivor of these imps? This was the one who got sucker-punched by Rupin?

I tightened my grip around the gun, and somehow my other hand found Zelda's; it was shaking. I couldn't blame her for being scared. Skull Kids were dangerous, unpredictable. Clearly, this particular one's behavior supported that assumption.

"…My friends are all dead! And it's because of you people!"

Uh oh. If he were to release his anger using the power of the mask…

"So this is how I'll get my revenge! I suffer, the world suffers with_-_-"

_BOOM_.

Majora's Mask flew clear off, landing a yard away in the grass. The imp fell limply to the ground as well, like the scarecrow he appeared to be. My eyes followed the corpse and lingered there for a brief moment, then they slowly rose, and I was filled with dread.

"Looks like they're all extinct now," Vaati muttered with a proud sneer, lowering the chrome pistol.

I stood there, knowing very well that I was a dead man, and decided against raising my gun. Zelda tightened her grip around my hand, subtly gasping at the sight.

"Ha! Your expression is priceless right now," the Wind Mage mused. "Before you try to run away, listen to my proposal."

I squinted. Vaati had a proposal?

"I presume you have seen Ghirahim accompany me, but we split up, and I will tell you why." He sneered, flipping his lavender hair flamboyantly. I find my eyes involuntarily drifting down to the mask, and so do Vaati's. "I know the potential of that mask. I know what it can do_-_\- what it _will_ do. It will destroy the world. And do I want that?"

_I don't know. Maybe you want some scissors to cut that ridiculous hair of yours._

"No, of course not! There would be _no world whatsoever_ to rule. But, unfortunately, I am the only important person who thinks this way."

_Important person, huh? Flatter yourself, much?_

"If Ghirahim knew of this mask's existence, he would not listen to me; he would desire it, simply because his greedy eyes see power. And, in a matter of time, we'd all cease to exist." He sighed. "Therefore… I cannot be the one to dispose of this mask; Ghirahim, Zant, or His Majesty may find it and desire it."

_Is he...?_

"So_-_\- _ugh_, I cannot believe I'm about to do this_-_-" Vaati said with obvious disgust, "I will let you go."

My eyes snapped fully open, and my jaw unhinged for a brief moment as I look at the evil general, baffled. I certainly wasn't expecting that. Still, though, I found it humorous, and I couldn't fight the smirk tugging at my lips.

"Don't just stand there with that stupid face of yours!" Vaati snapped. Clearly, I had him desperate. "I know very well that you do not wish to see the end of this world_-_\- I am the same way… despite our contradicting opinions of His Majesty."

The arrogant smirk remained on my face as I lifted my chin and announced confidently, "I accept."

"Good," he spat. "And as for that shard, I shall see to it later. For now my priority is to dispose of that mask."

I nodded, bending down to pick up the enchanted mask, which stared back at me with creepy yellow eyes. Deciding against looking at it any longer, I stuffed it in the backpack. And, passing the frustrated general, Zelda and I walked out of the clearing, hand in hand.

Vaati grumbled, stamping his foot into the marshy ground. He looked with disdain at the corpse of the last known Skull Kid, then turned and departed from the clearing.

* * *

"Agent Sheik, I do not care what you have to say regarding this matter. Now please, step aside."

"With _no_ due respect, sir," Sheik retorted, "you are a _fool_."

Daphnes kept his composure; he very well knew that Sheik had a short fuse, and half the time, his insults had no intention of malice. Still, he took in a deep breath, quietly saying, "I do not have time for your antics, Sheik. It is time for the interrogation."

"You will not interrogate them. You will keep them there, rotting to death. Don't you understand? You're in denial! Pull your head out of your_-_-"

"I am sorry, sir," Fledge interrupted before Sheik could voice his profanity, walking up to stand next to the Sheikah boy, "and I know it is not my place, but I have to side with Sheik, here."

"Your opinion is insufficient_-_-"

"It isn't," Fledge persisted. "Think about it: I'm an unbiased witness. I haven't met with either of these ex-generals; therefore I am immune to their manipulation."

"Agent Fledge, you haven't had any opportunity to be proven wrong by these two."

"Hence why he's unbiased," Sheik chimed, his usual arrogant smirk replaced by a determined frown.

Daphnes' eyes shifted slowly between the two young agents, piqued, his patience waning. Then, with force in his vocals, he said, "I do not care." He raised his bearded chin, but maintained eye contact with either agent. "Their contributions to the Lorulean cause have been substantial, and they are needed for the prosperity of this resistance. I shall not lose faith in them this easily. While Midna is a good replacement, we will, nevertheless, need as much assistance as we can acquire. I am responsible for protecting this nation, and, more importantly, my family."

Sheik and Fledge shared a look, and once they returned their eyes to Daphnes, it was Sheik who spoke up. "What _family_?"

And Daphnes grew quiet.

Sheik continued: "Your _dead wife_," at that, the former king's eyes welled up with tears, but they didn't fall, "and your daughter, whom you _abandoned-_\- and, even though she came back to you, whom you never _talk_ to?"

The former king's brows furrowed; his gaze grew icy.

Before he could open his mouth to speak, however, Sheik kept on his verbal onslaught. "And whom you sent on a dangerous mission_-_\- with a boy you barely know, for the record_-_\- to avoid an army of Hylian soldiers looking to kill her? No. Don't tell me you care about your '_family_'," he ranted mercilessly, "when you do things like that_-_\- and you continue to put her in danger by giving these fuckers another chance."

Daphnes was infuriated now, his eyes wide, the vein in his forehead bulging. Very quietly, but nonetheless with force, he spoke. "It is not your place to insult a superior_-_\- need I remind you of your sworn fealty to the agency, nonetheless your _tribe's_!?" His voice grew gradually until he was yelling at the Sheikah boy. "You have no right to judge my parental methods, child! I am aware that I messed up with Zelda; we all are! As for my wife… I cannot even _fathom_ how you came up with the idea that _I_ am at fault for her tragic death. And for that, _I hope you rot in hell_."

Fledge stifled a gasp, but Sheik just glared up at the man.

"I am a man of faith- I hope that my friends are not traitors. I hope that this nation prospers, and I hope that one day the evil tyrant will fall. And when that happens… _that_ is when I will focus on mending my relationship with my daughter." Daphnes pointed out to the Clock Tower elevator. "Begone."

Sheik left without a word.

* * *

"That's it," Hilda growled. "We're leaving."

Ravio tried to hide his jubilant expression, but it was to no effect. "Will we proceed with the original plan?"

"Negative," the princess informed. She rubbed her chin with a pale hand, deep in thought. "Instead, we must find a way to bring the three bearers together."

"But how?"

"We wait. In every legend, the three pieces will be reunited, but not joined until the bearers' fates are met… It will happen in our legend, as well. That is when we make our return to this world. From there, we will resume the previous plan."

Ravio nodded, withdrawing the bronze coin from within his purple robes. "Shall we?" he asked with a smirk, extending his hand. Hilda took it with a nod.

The dark-haired boy flipped the coin high into the air with his thumb, and once it hit the ceiling, it stuck to it. A black void morphed around the coin in a circular shape, growing larger until it took up most of the ceiling. Red lines shot out of the center in Twili patterns. Proceeding that, the dark splotch was given dimension; a hole manifested, rising upward.

Both ex-generals slowly dissipated into several black shards, the sound breaking glass faintly ringing in their ears. They were carried upward through the black portal_-_\- just as the cell door opened.

* * *

"Midna, look here!" shouted a wide-eyed Daphnes.

The Twilight Princess walked swiftly toward the cell door, where she saw, for a brief moment, the remnants of a fabled Twili portal. She gasped, her own eyes widening. "How in Nayru's name did they get ahold of one of those coins!?"

"What are these coins you speak of?"

When the darkness on the cell's ceiling disappeared, Midna turned to look at the former Hylian king. "They work as portals to the dark world… Goddesses, this means that Sheik was right!"

"Damn right, I'm right!" exclaimed a voice down the dimly-lit hall of Clock Tower's basement. Midna and Daphnes turned to see Sheik striding over to them, his fierce red eyes set firmly on theopen cell door. "See what I've been preachin', man!?"

Daphnes ignored the boy and instead turned to Midna. "How do you know about these coins?"

The Twili sighed. "That is how I entered your world. There are only two in existence; I have one and Zant had the other." She withdrew a bronze coin from the bag at her waist, showing it.

"Wait…" began Sheik. "If you're the 'Twilight Princess,' or whatever, then why do you have a portal to the dark world?"

"…I hate to say this, but the dark world and Twilight Realm have become one." When both Daphnes' and Sheik's eyebrows raised, she sighed. "They are accessible to one another without teleportation… Think of them as separate nations." They still looked confused, so she changed the subject. "It is a wonder how Ravio and Hilda have one of those coins; they must've taken Zant's. But how?"

"…I know," Sheik said, eyes growing wide in realization. The two others turned to him, confused. "Remember when Link got arrested?" They nodded. "Well, while I was here in Lorule, I was tracking all three of them up in the facility-"

"You really need to stop touching the equipment," Midna interrupted, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"And you need to stop interrupting." Sheik and Midna shared frowns. "As I was saying, when I was tracking Link, Zelda, and Ravio, I happened to notice something. Link and Zelda jumped out of the Zantland window, and it took a full ten more seconds for Ravio to join them. It may not seem like much, but when Ravio and Zelda came back without Link, I saw Ravio tuck something into his robes. It looked," he pointed at Midna's coin, "just like that."

"So that's how long this betrayal has been transpiring?" Midna inquired.

Sheik nodded. "I thought nothing of it at first, since I thought the coin had no significance. But I always knew something was up with those two."

"…And I should have," Daphnes whispered.

Sheik didn't even acknowledge his admission. "So, what do we do? Do we follow them?"

"Negative. They are in their home land now; we will be outnumbered and outmatched. We will just have to wait until they come back. Then," Midna looked between Sheik and Daphnes, her expression softening, "we will have no choice but to kill them."

Expecting an argument from Daphnes, Sheik turned to him, eyebrows raising. The former king, whose eyes had been resting solemnly on the floor, simply turned around and strode out of the hall.

As Sheik turned to look one last time at the empty cell, his heart filled with a newfound sense of rage. To Midna, he murmured, "They will be back."

Midna silently nodded, her slender eyes falling to the floor. "And when that happens... we will be ready." The general tucked the bronze coin away. "And we will need our Shadow Agent."

* * *

**END OF**

**PART I - SHADOW AGENT**


	18. Conversion

**I know. It's late. And I know you don't want to hear my excuses, so I won't make any.**

**In other news, Part II is here! Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites, everybody! You guys are rad.**

**Song suggestions: Romance- "Zelda's Theme" (SS OST) / Action, Sheik fight- "Theme of Gerudo Village" (SS OST) / Drama- "Dragon Theme" (SS OST) / Pipit, Ganondorf- "Arbiter's Grounds" (TP OST) / Ending- "Temple of Hylia" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

**Thanks to Skyward Scrub for being an awesome beta reader.**

* * *

**PART II - KING OF SHADOWS**

**Chapter 18: Conversion**

* * *

1400 HOURS.

WAKER BEACH, OUTSET PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

68 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

"No. Wrong." Impa shook her head, placing a hand on Zelda's arm, lifting it slightly.

"Wrong? They taught me this at orientation," she argued, her fists poised in Impa's recommended battle stance. Her front knee was bent, she stood on the balls of her feet, and her left fist hovered in front of the right.

"Hmph," grunted Impa, raising her chin. "That is Hyrule's method. Since they know it, they will expect it, and they will counterattack. This strategy finds the Hylian method's weak points and slowly chips away at them, all the while protecting you."

Zelda eyed me anxiously. Offering her a smile, I turned to my own trainer, Sheik, who was teaching me the art of swordplay.

"So… remind me why I have to learn this?" I bent down to pick up a wooden practice sword.

"Hmm?" came the reply. Sheik was setting up a few logs for sparring, standing them upright in the sand of Waker Beach.

"Well, since there's no need for swords nowadays, why would I need to learn this?" I inquired. When Sheik merely squinted at me, looking utterly confused, I followed up with, "Ever heard the phrase 'don't bring a knife to a gunfight'?"

Sheik smirked. "First of all, these aren't _knives_; they're _swords_."

"Smart-ass."

"And don't ask me why; Impa has a reason, but she won't tell anyone why." He hung his head in false disappointment. "Not even _me._"

"_Especially_ not you," chimed Impa.

I rolled my eyes, reminding myself that I'd find out eventually, like always.

Sheik turned his attention back to me, taunting me to come battle him. Gripping the hilt of the wooden sword, I dashed toward the awaiting Sheikah boy.

Leaping up, I swung my sword downward, only to have it blocked by Sheik's horizontal swing. My right arm recoiled outward, allowing Sheik to strike me hard in the windpipe.

"Boom. You're dead." Sheik leapt backward to his previous spot in the gray sand.

I clutched my chest, catching my breath. He'd knocked the wind out of me with the blow. "What was that for?"

He shrugged. "Your enemy won't hold back on you, and neither will I."

Standing upright, I grunted in minor pain. "I don't think your attacks need to be so powerful."

"Later, you'll understand why that isn't the case." He gripped the hilt tightly, motioning for me to come toward him again.

Rolling my eyes, I made my way over to my opponent, more slowly and cautiously this time. Squared off against one another, Sheik and I both waited for the first strike. I decided to take a defensive approach; attacking first rendered me careless.

Sheik's patience waned, and he darted toward me with his sword poised. He swung diagonally; I blocked it, swinging horizontally at an opening. Before I could land the hit, Sheik dodged to the side, frantically avoiding my onslaught. I parried near his shoulders, and as he attempted to block it, I rolled and drove the back of the hilt in the crook of his knee. Grunting, Sheik leapt away, clearly wanting a break; but I wanted revenge for the bruise forming at my ribcage.

Lunging forward, I swung downward, only to have Sheik block it just like last time. However, I gripped the hilt tighter and refused to allow my arm to open up; instead, I took a few steps back, blocking Sheik's follow-up swings. Now he was taking the offensive, and I, the defensive. Horizontal swing; blocked. Vertical. Diagonal. Forward thrust. I blocked them all, just in time to avoid another blow.

Frustrated, Sheik spun in a three-sixty circle, the wooden blade slicing through the air at lightning speed.

Time seemed to slow as my right hand grew immensely powerful, and I swung my sword with such force into Sheik's own, that it flew clear out of his grip and into the sand about five yards away.

With a triumphant smirk, I pointed the tip of the sword at Sheik's chest.

"Damn." Sheik grinned despite his loss. "See why you won that round?"

"'Cause I'm a better swordsman."

"Nah, I wouldn't say _that_ yet." To prove his point, he backflipped, kicking the end of my wooden blade upward into the air. Once back on his feet, he caught the wooden hilt with his right hand. As I stood there in utter disbelief at his incredible agility, he smirked. "It's because you were patient. Wait for your opponent to make a careless move, then punish 'em for it."

"How did you… Wha_-_-?" I stammered.

Sheik snorted in obvious amusement. "Let's keep going."

After my apparent victory, Sheik took charge and bruised me multiple times with the wooden blade. It became clear that he was putting force into his blows because he wanted me to be able to take a hit. He wanted to make me stronger.

But still, it came with a price.

By the time Impa was done teaching Zelda the proper Lorulean method of hand-to-hand combat, Sheik and I were already resting_-_\- me more so than him, of course; Sheik's hard-core training had rendered me exhausted. Leaning back into the dry sand, I let out a pained groan.

Zelda, clearly humored at my exaggerated outburst, giggled as she made her way over to me, Impa in tow. Taking a seat next to me, Zelda placed a soft hand on my shoulder reassuringly, offering me a soft smile of condolences. I returned it weakly, barely maintaining the gap between my eyelids.

"Ugh, quit being so dramatic," Sheik grumbled.

It never really occurred to me how Sheik could be so much more athletic, more agile than I, yet I could still beat him in a fight. I'd already proven that statement, anyway, on a roof in Castle Town, the day the ocarina distorted the weather patterns.

And speaking of which…

"Here," Sheik said, withdrawing the blue instrument from his pouch and tossing it to me. Then, he narrowed his scarlet eyes. "Don't lose it again, though; Impa says you'll need it."

Impa, who stood feet away from the three of us, nodded silently.

"I won't lose it," I replied, tucking it away in my duffle bag. Turning my head to Impa, I raised my eyebrows. "Why will I need it?"

Impa sighed, shaking her head. "Too much to explain, too little time. Right now, you must be trained properly; Hylian forces are ceasing their attacks on Lorule to protect their own land."

"From what?"

Bluntly: "You."

I realized that was a dumb question. Who else was stealing godly relics and pissing off the king?

"Therefore, you are given the opportunity to train_-_\- but so are they. The longer you delay, the stronger they become; their fortifications will increase, making it more difficult for you to obtain the remaining shards, which would be easier to get if you possessed the pendants_-_-" She caught herself, clearing her throat as if to divert me from her previous words.

But it was Zelda who beat me to it. "Wait, what pendants?"

Impa turned to Zelda, closing her eyes and breathing deeply. "Never mind. You will be informed of the whole plan later, but like I said, we must currently focus on training you for the dangers ahead."

"Just tell them what the damn pendants are," exhaled Sheik, half-pleading, half-instructing.

Another deep breath. "Fine," she said curtly to the boy, her stern gaze enough to make Sheik take a few steps back. "There are three pendants: one of courage, one of power, and one of wisdom. They are hidden here in Lorule, each in one of three long-forgotten temples. You will need them to awaken the Master Sword."

"What!?" I was unable to stifle my outburst, to which Impa simply nodded in confirmation. "The Master Sword doesn't exist!"

Sheik rolled his eyes, groaning. "Dude, how gullible are you?" The inquiry made me feel like Impa was jesting, but… "You believed everything Ganon told you back in Hyrule, didn't you?"

Now I understood his first comment. Fumbling for words, I murmured, "Well_-_-"

"He fed you that answer so you, the 'descendant of the legendary hero,' didn't go searching for your inheritance." Sheik crossed his arm over his chest, then added, "The Master Sword."

I shrugged. "What's the point in using a sword anyway? I thought we went over this before, Sheik." I noticed that Zelda, curiosity piqued, silently swiveled her head from speaker to speaker.

Sheik looked toward Impa, hoping she'd clear things up. But what she said was of the opposite effect: "There are things you have yet to learn about our world, about our history." Impa heaved a sigh. "While we could keep withholding the truth from you, your ignorance in such subjects can be your downfall. Therefore, I suggest you consult with Robin; he will fill the gaps in your knowledge."

"If you say so, Lady Impa," I replied with a shrug. My shoulders ached even from that next-to-nothing action.

"Good." She looked off to the lone military truck, parked along the winding trail that led from Waker Beach to the distant grasslands of the Outset Province. "Visit him tomorrow. I assume you're tired, Agent Link?" I detected a slight twitch at the corners of her mouth, then rolled my eyes in exasperation. "You can rest up at home, then."

I slowly_-_\- very, _very_ slowly_-_\- got to my feet, grabbed Zelda's hand, and offered her a weak grin. She reciprocated with a dazzling, bright smile, which lightened my mood in an instant.

* * *

1520 HOURS.

ROOM 10A, ANUBIS COMPLEX, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

It was a rainy day in Clock Town. Outside my large, floor-to-ceiling window, the neighboring buildings were darkened in the foggy haze of clouds. The rain cascaded down the buildings, producing the sound of a flowing river, and collected in puddles and streamed down the streets. Few people traveled the streets today; those who did carried umbrellas or covered their heads with their jackets.

Inside the apartment, I was at peace; the air was warm, the couch was comfortable. My arm draped casually around Zelda's shoulder as she leaned into me. The familiar aroma of her golden hair, which smelled faintly of daisies, lulled me into a contented trance.

"Zel?" I said quietly, wanting to preserve the peaceful silence.

"Yes?" she hummed, nestling her head in the crook between my neck and shoulder.

Just the sweet sound of her voice brought a smile to my face. It dropped a second later, though, when I struggled to say, "…I'm so sorry you were hurt."

Zelda offered me a sad smile, placing a hand on mine. "I'm okay now, Link." As if to prove her point, she kissed me softly.

"But…" Sighing, I trailed off.

"Link?" She asked. "…But what?"

Breathing in heavily, I struggled to speak. "In Faron, what that guy did to you… when he… _hurt_ you…" I trailed off again, closing my eyes to avoid her gaze.

What I was trying to say was that I couldn't stand to see her hurt, so that was why I shot the soldier who'd knocked her out. Granted, Zelda didn't see me kill the man… but that didn't quell the nagging guilt forming deep within my chest.

I lost track of the men I'd killed. When I first discovered that I possessed the Triforce of Courage, when I was escaping imprisonment from Hyrule Castle, I knocked some soldiers off a high wall. Whether they died or not was unbeknownst to me. I never liked to admit it, but I actually felt remorseful for those Hylian soldiers. Deep down I knew they were evil and that I did it for a good reason, but even deeper down I reprimanded myself for killing another human being. Multiple times, at that.

"L-Link?" Zelda's concerned tone snapped me out of my thoughts. "Are you okay?"

I blinked several times, then nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine."

She offered me another sad smile and soft kiss on the lips. "So, Link," she said,_-_\- I could clearly tell she was trying to change the subject, and I was grateful for that_-_\- "there's still a lot I don't know about you."

I raised my eyebrows. "Really? Like what?" I guess I'd been so caught up in the conflict between Lorule and Hyrule that I didn't have too much casual time with Zelda to talk about things.

"Oh, I dunno, like… your favorite color, for instance," she replied, an adorable faint blush on her cheeks.

"Green." I motioned to my forest-colored tunic and offered her a half smile.

"I should've known."

Grinning, I quipped playfully, "Well, this is some killer small talk, isn't it?"

She giggled cutely. "Yeah, it is."

I pulled her in closer to me, planting a kiss on the top of her head, causing her face to flush even further. "How about you tell me a story from your past_-_\- one that I don't know about?"

Zelda nuzzled into my cheek with her head, contentedly murmuring, "Mmnh, okay." She thought for a moment. "How about I tell you the story of when I first discovered my ability to use magic?"

Zelda hadn't told me much about her strange, inhuman power, so I shrugged and said, "Sure. I'd like to know."

She smiled, then spoke: "I was nine years old, living in Castle Town with Hilda. So, our teacher, Mr. Ingo, was lecturing us about the incarnate of Ganondorf from the era of the Hero of Time. It was really boring and biased, since Ingo thought Ganon was our savior, so Hilda and I decided to mess with him. I drew some funny pictures of him on a few pieces of paper, handed them to Hilda, and she folded them into paper airplanes. Every time Ingo had his back turned, she'd fling it to some other students. Soon, when a lot of different kids had them, everyone just started laughing really loud, interrupting Ingo and making him pretty mad. His face got really red and a vein was bulging out of his forehead." She giggled, remembering the event.

I began, "So when did_-_-"

"Getting there," Zelda said patiently, her adorable smile enough to make heat rise to my cheeks. "So, I tried making an airplane of my own. Once I was done folding it, I waited for Ingo to pick up one of the drawings from a cluster of kids by his desk, and then I lobbed it up high." She preformed the action with an imaginary airplane to show me. "When it got close to the ceiling, it just stopped in midair. I was shocked, and so was everyone else, as I stared at it. Then I lowered my arm, and the airplane mimicked my motion, swooping low to the floor. Being a nine-year-old, I thought it was cool, so I moved my arm in all directions, and the airplane followed."

I chuckled as she showed me with her arm the motions the airplane made.

"So, everyone's eyes followed the airplane, and after a few seconds, it caught on fire. I was scared, so I lowered my arm and tried to make it stop. Finally, Ingo turned to look up at the flaming airplane_-_-," her face turned red as she said through a laugh, "_-_-and it crashed into his face and his mustache caught on fire."

I laughed, barely able to ask, "What happened to his 'stache?"

Catching her breath, Zelda grinned and said, "There was a patch missing from it for two years. We called him Half-'Stache ever since then."

"Half-'Stache?"

Zelda lost it, crashing into me in hysterics as she relived the moment, face an intense red, and I laughed along with her.

* * *

"Your highness," a soldier murmured meekly from the doorway, "an agent wishes to see you."

Ganondorf sneered and lifted his chin. "Bring him in."

The soldier nodded quickly, then disappeared from the king's sight. With smooth strides, Pipit entered the royal hall, a determined frown set firmly upon his face.

"Agent yellow boy," Ganon muttered, leaning back in his throne. "What brings you here?"

"It's _Pipit_," spat the agent. "And I'm here for answers."

"_Answers_..." Humored, the king placed a gauntlet-clad fist underneath his chin. "You'll have to ask _questions_, first, boy."

"You _know_ what I'm talking about," he snarled. "How do I know? The only reason I'm still working for you at this point is that you've been denying me access to your quarters for the past week. You're afraid that I know all about your '_secret weapon_'."

Ganondorf scoffed, grinning devilishly with sharp teeth. "_Afraid_!? Bah!" he exclaimed. "Hardly! I couldn't _care less_ if you knew about the weapon. You can't _resign_, either, you fool_-_\- I'd just _kill_ you."

Pipit's stern gaze faltered out of fear, but he recovered it after a brief moment.

"Nonetheless," said the king, "you likely haven't an idea what my weapon _is_."

"I know _exactly_ what it is," replied Pipit. "You've been giving the plague to the poor, since they're useless. It transforms them into those _demons_ in the Haunted Wasteland. You're using those… _things_… your _own_ _people..._as a weapon against Lorule."

Ganondorf simply chuckled, waving his hand out toward the door. "Begone."

Pipit smirked. "I'm not hearing any denial."

"You're not," agreed the king. His words grew venomous, taunting. "What are you going to do, then, boy? Do you want to send in your '_resignation letter_' now?"

"Nope." Smirk still plastered on his face, Pipit tapped the side of his HBI sunglasses, then took them off to reveal his brown eyes. "Remember these glasses you issued your agents? Oh, yeah, they have a recording device in 'em."

The humor on Ganon's face was slapped clean off, replaced by perpetual fury and shock. And maybe even… worry?

Realizing he had Ganon right where he wanted him, Pipit continued. "And what if I broadcast the footage of those demons, along with our conversation we had today, all across the kingdom?" Ganon had fallen right into Pipit's trap. If he could show the entire kingdom that Ganondorf was evil, the chances of the tyrant being overthrown would increase substantially.

"_You will not_!" roared Ganondorf. "I _own _you! You will be killed if you even _try_ to perform such an act of treason!"

"_Really_?" the agent mocked, clearly trying to anger the tyrant. "Then why haven't you managed to kill the Shadow Agent yet?"

Clenching his teeth in pure rage, the king rose to his full height, towering over the boy in attempts of intimidation_-_\- but the boy's face was hard-set. On either side of the throne, hanging from the armrests, was a Hylian blaster. He grabbed both, one in each hand, and roared, "Guards!"

Two Hylian soldiers entered the royal hall, their blasters pointed at Pipit's head, blocking off the exit. The yellow-clad agent didn't even flinch; instead, he fumbled with something within his pocket, an action that none of his enemies saw.

"Ghirahim!" Ganon called. Immediately, the general burst through a back door, behind and to the left of the throne. He lowered himself to a bow before the king, who ordered, "Broadcast this moment across my kingdom. Interrupt all programs, put it on all the Jumbo-Trons in the city. I want to send a message to everyone about the consequences of betrayal."

Realizing the king's intentions, Ghirahim turned his head to Pipit, smiling devilishly; he had never liked the agents, and he was glad that the king shared his beliefs. "Yes, Master."

"And see if you can hack the Lorulean televisions," ordered the king. "I want _everyone_ to see this."

"Yes, Master," Ghirahim cooed, a sadistic sneer forming on his white lips.

"I, too, want everyone to see this," Pipit chimed, smirking still. As he rubbed his thumb over the smooth surface of the gadget he'd acquired from the Faron Province, he thanked the goddesses that Link had dropped it in the right place at the right time.

* * *

1542 HOURS.

ROOM 10A, ANUBIS COMPLEX, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

After the seventy-inch TV flicked on, I watched in horror as I saw an all-too-familiar face staring at me with intense golden eyes: King Ganondorf.

"Let this be a lesson to everyone," he snarled. "If you are to oppose me, there will be consequences."

The camera shifted to another familiar person, adorned in a yellow tunic, cargo pants, boots, belts and gauntlets: Pipit.

_Oh, dammit, Pipit… Why couldn't you just stay out of the way? _Why _was_ Pipit there, anyway? I remembered having a vision back when I had the plague about him seeing the Shadow Beasts in the Haunted Wasteland, but it didn't look like he had changed his mind about Hyrule.

_Oh, Din. They're going to kill him. But for what? What did Pipit do that pissed Ganon off so much? Did Pipit betray him?_

Two Hylian soldiers stood guarding the door of the royal hall, pointing blasters at his head. Oddly, Pipit appeared calm; humored, even, with a smirk curling at his lips. A hand was jammed into his pants pocket, the other hanging at his side.

"There will be no exceptions…" Ganon murmured, his words laced with venom and hatred. "Not even for our own agents. All Loruleans will be killed on sight, and anyone who refers to Hyrule's number one enemy, the so-called Shadow Agent, will be punished severely."

"Aren't they already being punished severely because of the plague?" interjected Pipit, lifting his chin in pride.

_Shut up, Pipit! You're digging your own grave now!_

So, he _did _find out about the plague... but did he know the whole story?

The king just ignored Pipit's outburst. "Remember this, Hyruleans. Oppose me, and you will follow this disgrace of Hylian authority." He chuckled devilishly. "And to the Loruleans: we're coming for you." Ganondorf lifted his gun, pointing it directly at Pipit's chest. "Any last words, boy?" It was then that the king lowered his gaze to Pipit's hidden hand.

A victorious sneer presented itself on Pipit's face as he lifted his hand out of his pocket. His fingers curled around a white orb with an orange-painted "L" shape on it.

"Those words won't be spoken today."

The pin was pulled, and Pipit dropped it on the floor. A low humming sound appeared, and Ganon's eyes widened in shock.

Pipit stood there for a good fifteen seconds as Ganondorf's blaster clicked under his meaty fingers. It was deactivated.

"Suprise." Pushing a button on his tactical belt, Pipit activated a force field and withdrew a pistol. He bolted toward the door, easily taking out the two confused sentinels.

"_Stop him_!" roared Ganon, and the broadcast was cut off.

I sat there on the edge of my seat, dumbfounded. Zelda and I shared a wide-eyed glance before I spoke.

"What… the hell… just happened!?"

Zelda shook her head silently, eyes still wide in shock.

"H-how…? Pipit had an L-Bomb… and he… survived an execution from Ganondorf?" _How did Pipit get an L-Bomb? Is he secretly Lorulean? No, that can't be; maybe I dropped it in the Faron Province. _Suddenly, my FiPhone rang. Too stunned to think, I picked it up, murmuring, "Yeah?"

"Agent Link! We've been hacked!" Midna shouted.

No shit, Sherlock.

"Yeah… I saw it."

"But, it somewhat benefits us," the general said. When I didn't respond, she continued. "Think about it: your former coworker opposed Ganondorf, he survived an execution, and made the king look like a fool."

My phone buzzed against my cheek. "Yeah, I guess so. I've gotta go, Midna. I'm getting another call."

"Okay. Farewell."

Once I hung up on Midna, I realized I was being called by an unknown number. Raising an eyebrow quizzically, I answered it. "Hello?"

The voice sounded out of breath, but… familiar. "How 'bout that, show, huh?"

My eyes widened. "Pipit!?" Zelda whipped her head in my direction, get eyes widening as well.

"Yeah, uh… I think it's about time I joined your cause."

"How are you even talking to me right now?" I asked. "Aren't you supposed to be _fleeing a castle_?"

"Already out," he said, inhaling rapid breaths. "Teleported clear to… your favorite town. Nearly killed me."

My favorite town? Why didn't he just say Ordon? Then I remembered that his phone was still tracked by Hyrule's database. I realized he didn't want to reveal his location.

"Are you an idiot!?" I demanded. "What the hell are you doing, screwing up your life like that? You had a good life!"

"That was no good life, Link. I was fighting for the wrong side. I want to be like you and save the world from this tyrant."

His words left me fumbling for some of my own. "Well… what about Karane? You can't just leave her!"

"You're right," he said calmly. "I already told her to wait in the town."

"So now you're gonna screw up her life!?" I yelled into the phone. "She was_-_-"

"Link, you don't know. It was her decision to come with me. Her mother was murdered by a Hylian soldier last week, and he wasn't even prosecuted. That's why she wants to leave this horrible kingdom."

"…I-I'm sorry," I said. "But I don't know if you'll be allowed to even _enter _Lorule."

"Then… _capture_ us! Bring us to Lorule! C'mon, Link! I'm your best fr_-_-"

"You _were_ my best friend, Pipit," I replied coldly. "You're not anymore."

For awhile, all I could hear was Pipit's frantic breathing. "…Fine. Leave me here in Hyrule. But just remember this, Link: my death will be on _your_ hands."

"I know what you're doing," I said. "You're trying to guilt me into bringing you here. For all I know, that spectacle with Ganon could've been staged, just so you can gain my trust, come to Lorule, then betray me."

"Oh, _right_, Link," Pipit grumbled sarcastically. "Is that what this war has done to you? Completely _destroyed _your ability to trust?"

"I trust a total of three people now: Zelda, Sheik, and myself. The last two people I trusted betrayed me."

"Well, _I_ trusted _you_."

_Oh, you son of a bitch,_ I thought angrily, gritting my teeth.

"I trusted you," he repeated, "and you betrayed me."

"For good reason!" I shouted. "And don't be hypocritical_-_\- you're trying to do the _same thing _for the _same reason_!"

"Alright, alright!" he shouted angrily. "No more! Listen, Link: I trust you_-_\- at least, I _want_ to. I promise that I aim to serve the Lorulean cause."

I shook my head, bringing my hand to my face. Zelda, whom I'd forgotten about, placed one hand on my shoulder and wrapped her other arm around my neck, comforting me. "How can I be so sure?" I asked quietly.

"Because I have something that will bring a ton of Hylians to our side."

* * *

**Once again, I'm sorry it's so late. This chapter was pretty fun to write, too. It's one of my favorites, and it's a turning point in the plot.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	19. Courage

**Song suggestions: Beginning- "Sage Fado" (WW OST) / Drama- "Temple of Hylia" (SS OST) and "Forest Temple" (TP OST) / Woodfall Temple- "Pirates Fortress" (MM OST) / Redead battles- "Eclipse of the Sun" (HW OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

**Thanks to Skyward Scrub for being an awesome beta reader.**

* * *

**PART II** **-** **KING OF SHADOWS**

**Chapter 19: Courage**

* * *

0923 HOURS.

ROBIN'S HILL, KOHOLINT PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

58 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

Rays of sunlight peeked through the distant mountains, illuminating the grassy hill in triangular portions. Birds absently sang their hearts out. As a rhythmic croaking of wood was heard_-_\- back and forth, back and forth, back and forth_-_\- it was understood that the wise man of the Koholint Province was present.

"Ah!" Robin greeted, clasping his hands together. "Welcome, my friends."

Holding Zelda's hand in my left and a purple artifact in my right, I offered a hesitant smile to the blonde girl next to me, then trekked upward through the long grass of the hill. As we walked up the oak steps, the wood groaned in protest. Robin's cheeks crinkled as they widened to a smile. It always wondered me how the man could be so cheerful, despite the raging war between the northern, totalitarian nation and the southern, rebellious nation.

"Please, please," Robin said, "take your seats. I assume we have much to discuss, yes?"

We complied, seating ourselves on the wooden bench on the other end of the porch. I carefully set the artifact down on the wooden planks, its eyes piercing into my own. "Yes," I replied.

The man's smile faltered slightly as his eyes lowered to the artifact. "I see you've retrieved Majora's Mask."

Nodding solemnly, I averted my eyes from the mask's. "We don't know what to do with it," I admitted.

"Majora's wrath must be destroyed, so no being will be possessed by it." When Zelda or I didn't respond, he placed a hand beneath his bearded chin. "It is virtually immortal," he said, "therefore I imagine challenges with this task."

"Would it be better if we just gave it to Rupin?" I suggested.

"No, no." He shook his head. "While the Happy Mask Salesman's intentions with this mask may be pure, the soul within its carved surface is manipulative and deceiving… Do not trust this mask with _any_ man or creature alike."

"So, what do we do?"

"A possibility would be to destroy it with the Master_-_-" he cut himself off, "ah, I might be getting ahead of myself."

"No," I interrupted. "I know of the blade, and that was going to be my _other_ question."

Robin nodded, then continued: "Destroying it with the Master Sword is a possibility, though there is a chance that Majora's soul will escape and consume you."

"Sounds like a good time," I mused sarcastically.

Robin, meanwhile, remained serious. "A better option would be to bury it in the bottom of the ocean."

"Except, well, I'd spontaneously combust if I go all the way to the bottom," I added.

"I'm _sure_ there's a way to fix that." Robin grinned again, raising his eyebrows.

"With magic?" Zelda guessed.

"Indeed." The man nodded. "There is talk of a tunic that the legendary hero wore for multiple adventures_-_\- a blue tunic, identical in size and style to your green one, Link. There is an additional perk, however; you'll be able to survive under water, similar to a creature of the sea."

So, that would help me bury Majora's Mask at the bottom of the ocean. You know, without imploding within my own body or drowning to death. "Where is it?"

"That knowledge fails me. I suspect it is hidden in a place you will soon travel to; therefore, I suggest you leave the mask here, in my possession, until you find the tunic."

"So…," Zelda said, a confused expression set upon her face, "where to, then?"

"One of the three Lorulean temples to find a pendant. I suggest visiting the Deku Province firsthand; it is a more docile region, but beware of the Babas and Octorocks. The other temples are more dangerous, so you can tackle them later."

"Will do," I murmured. Taking Zelda's hand in mine, I rose to my feet, about to bid the wise man farewell.

"Oh, and Agent Link?" he chimed.

"Yes, Robin?"

"I heard about your friend… Pipit, was his name?"

Curiously, I cocked my head before nodding.

"Well, I am truly sorry that your allies did not trust him." As my eyes began to widen and I did not dare try to fathom what he meant, Robin sighed solemnly. "I hope they come to their senses soon and free him."

* * *

1302 HOURS.

NORTHWESTERN DEKU PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

74 DEGREES INSIDE.

As I gripped the steering wheel of the Lorulean military truck, I yelled into my FiPhone, "You locked him up!?"

"We _had_ to!" argued Midna. "We listened to your cell phone conversation, and you were right; that whole incident with Ganon could've been staged. He could have been sent here to trick you."

"Then why did he offer to broadcast the footage of Ganondorf admitting the facts about the plague?"

"That could have been _bait_!" she yelled in reply. Honestly, I'd never heard Midna be this stubborn. "And it was tempting, so we actually _are_ going to broadcast it across the world."

"…But you're _keeping him imprisoned_!?"

"Affirmative."

That pissed me off to an extreme level. "Oh, so now you're _stealing_ the footage from him and_-_-"

"Enough. Agent Link, my mind is set. Since I have authority over you, my decision is final. Need I remind you that before yesterday, he was a common enemy? What makes you think that this _'friend'_ of yours changed sides so quickly and easily?"

_Damn you, Midna, _I thought angrily._ You had to play the authority card, didn't you?_ Noticing my hesitation, Zelda, who sat in the passenger seat, eyed me nervously as I took in a slow breath, my patience waning. "_Authority_ over me!?"

She sounded taken aback. "…W-well, yes_-_-"

"_Bullshit_!" I yelled, making Zelda wince at my profanity. "You think we _work_ for you? _You_!? What are _you_ worth!? _Nothing_! Simply because we share Hyrule as a common enemy does not put you over me in _any way_!"

Midna was growing inpatient. "Agent Link_-_-"

"No! Excuse me, miss _oh-so-important_ 'Twilight Princess,' but what have _you_ done? Sat behind your desk while _I_ go out into the nation that wants my head cut off? No!" I ranted, clenching my teeth. "I don't work for you; I don't work for Lorule. I work for _me._ Link. I work for the destruction of Hyrule and the death of the tyrant. I work to protect the girl I love. So don't take credit for the things I do just because you have the meaningless title of _'general'._"

"_Agent Link_!" she yelled. "Need I remind you who gave _you_ assistance when you needed it most? Without me, you'd already be _dead_! Every single mission you had, I was_-_-"

"_-_-A _nuisance_," I spat.

"_Listen well,_ Agent Link, " Midna snarled. "You have sworn fealty to Lorule and Sir Daphnes. As the rightful king's general, you are to follow _my_ orders and _not_ oppose me. There is no alternative; unless you want to have _two_ nations plotting to kill you."

I growled, "Is that a threat?"

"No," she replied curtly. "It's a _promise._"

And she hung up.

As I pressed my foot down further on the pedal, the truck barreled along the dirt path, spewing mud and rocks in the tires' wakes. Branches slapped the sides of the vehicle, and every now and then I had to swerve to avoid a log. Zelda and I sat in silence; she wore a worried expression, I had a furious frown.

The GPS screen on the dashboard showed a map of the Deku Province, with a red arrow signaling where we were located. Truthfully, I had no idea where I was heading; Robin said to look for civilization, for that was where the temple would be. I figured it'd be in the center of the province, so I headed southeast toward the heart of the forest.

After an uncomfortable period of silence, Zelda meekly spoke: "…Are you okay?"

I released a heavy sigh, then nodded. "Yeah, it's just…"

"Pipit's your friend," she guessed, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You trust him again, and you want Midna to, as well."

I nodded; she was right. "I'm not too angry about the _authority_ thing_-_-" I cut myself off as she nodded.

"Right. You were just looking for a reason to vent your anger."

Despite myself, I released a weak laugh. "You should be a therapist."

She smiled. "I _am_ a therapist. That'll be two hundred rupees, please."

I laughed again. Zelda always knew how to cheer me up. After a brief moment, I sighed. "…I'm sorry you've been caught up in all this."

Zelda smiled softly. "I was born into this mess, Link. And so were you."

Closing my eyes, I nodded solemnly. "When it's all over…," I began, offering her a quick glance, "…what will happen next?"

Pondering, Zelda bit her bottom lip. As I stared out at the dirt path ahead, surrounded by trees and dense foliage, Zelda sent me a bright smile, murmuring, "We'll worry about that when we get there."

"…Right." Her words didn't ease my worries, however. What would happen when Ganon was overthrown? Would Zelda live in Hyrule Castle as a princess; would her father step down and have Zelda replace him; what'd become of Lorule? But most of all, what would _I_ do?

Stay with Zelda?

Return to Ordonia and try to rid the town of the plague?

…Would I even be _alive_?

My phone rang again, and when I answered it I was surprised to hear the voice of Sheik. "Heya, Link," he said.

"Hey, Sheik. You calling to give me directions to this temple?"

"Well, no, I'm just bored;" came the reply, "I could go ask Impa, though_-_\- hey, ain't that Midna's job?"

Zelda and I shared a glance before she told him, "She's sitting this one out."

"Okay, then." He paused, and I heard faint voices. "Impa says she's sending the coordinates to your truck." Based on this, I assumed he and Impa were at the Clock Tower headquarters.

The screen of the dashboard produced a jingling noise, and I looked at it. In the very center of the Deku Province appeared a yellow circle; likely, that was the temple.

"Okay," I said, "I got the coordinates."

"Good." The voice was different. It was Impa. "It's called the Woodfall Temple. Go there, Agent Link, and you'll find the pendant of courage."

The rest of the ride was uneventful. Every now and then I'd spot an unusual figure in the forest, but I thought nothing of it and moved on. After all, I'd need to hurry; the spirit of Majora would need to be destroyed as soon as possible.

In about forty-five minutes, we arrived in the center of the Deku Province. I slowed to a stop at the foot of a stone, moss-clad structure surrounded by a misty fog. After Zelda and I exited the truck, we both looked up at the looming edifice.

"Whoa," was all Zelda could manage to say.

"Wait," I said, raising a finger. "Robin said to look for civilization, yet this building looks abandoned and a thousand years old."

Zelda cocked her head. "Hmm…" Her eyes widened. "Maybe the civilization is _in_ the temple."

"Din, I hope not," I muttered. I'd rather not deal with whatever lived in that desolate structure.

Zelda came over to the driver side of the truck, then opened the back door. "Okay, let's gear up in case there actually are some unfriendly people_-_\- or things_-_\- in there."

I nodded, reaching out for a duffle bag on the back seat. After setting it on the ground, I kneeled down, then fumbled around for some weapons and gadgets. My fingers wrapped around a round white object, and I shook my head. "Doubt we'll need any L-Bombs. They probably don't have any Hylian blasters."

"Right," Zelda said, attaching two of her pistols to her waist.

I reached back in, carefully withdrawing my sniper rifle from the bottom with two hands. Strapping the weapon onto my back, I found two decently sized knives, attaching them to the front of my belt. Next, I took a pair of pistols, similar to Zelda's, and three spare clips. After strapping everything into place, I tossed Zelda a few spare clips, saying, "Take these. You might need 'em."

She nodded, fumbling for something within the bag. "Here it is," she said, withdrawing four long, cylindrical objects and showing them to me. "Flash bangs. They might be useful." She handed me two.

I took them, murmuring quietly, "Thanks."

I didn't want Zelda to come with me; it could be dangerous. But I knew better than to tell her to stay. Zelda was too stubborn and dedicated to sit out. Even if it meant risking her life.

After taking one last item each, sticky grenades, we shared a nervous glance. Then, almost simultaneously, we breathed in deeply, turned, and headed toward the daunting edifice.

* * *

1420 HOURS.

WOODFALL TEMPLE, DEKU PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

51 DEGREES INSIDE.

The trek down the dark, dust-caked stairs was a harrowing experience. Our ears were tickled by the sounds of whispers, as if we were surrounded by a large quantity of specters. I eliminated a portion of the darkness with the light of my FiPhone, and my eyes searched the narrow, gloomy stairwell. The walls were carved in strange patterns; I spotted the mark of Farore in multiple locations. The other patterns, I could not decipher.

"L-Link?" Zelda whispered timidly. I turned to look at her, cocking my head. "…Let's hurry and get out of here."

"Okay," I said, trying to slow my rapid heart rate. My feet carried me down the slippery, mossy staircase for another minute or so until I saw faint torchlight. Fire meant we weren't alone. I raised a hand, stopping Zelda in her tracks. "There's the civilization." I pointed to the light source. "Be careful."

I silently continued down the staircase, pistol poised in my right hand, knife in the other. As we got to the bottom of the stairs, we arrived in a rectangular room with torches on either side of a cut-out doorway. Pistol held upward, I leaned against the wall far wall, motioning for Zelda to do the same. She complied, pressing her back to the wall in the space to the left of me. Breathing deeply, I peered around the corner of the doorway, chills running down my spine. I saw a round, open room overrun with foliage. Straight ahead was a stone staircase, which I assumed led to the top of this tower.

Gathering my courage, I slowly walked through the door, surveying all directions for any signs of danger. Zelda stayed put at my instruction, and I headed to the center of the circular chamber.

The whispers returned, louder this time, and I broke out into a cold sweat, knees threatening to give out.

Then, as I was about to announce the coast was clear, Zelda yelped, "Link!"

I whipped around, frantically searching for anything attempting to hurt Zelda, but was relieved to find her alone. "What?"

She pointed upward, at the ceiling.

There, perched upside-down from the stone ceiling, were half a dozen ragged, humanoid creatures. At once, they dropped to the ground, flipping to land on their feet. Each creature wore simply a torn cloak over their gray, bandaged skin. Their eyes were completely black and sunken deep within their skulls, their mouths consisted of sharp teeth, and their fingers wrapped around the hilts of their heavy blades.

These creatures… they were once enemies of the Hero of Time, but they adapted; now, their speed and agility were increased, and they were proficient with broadswords. These were Redeads, creatures that fed upon the terror of their victims.

Suddenly, my earpiece beeped. "Have courage, Shadow Agent." It was Impa.

Gripping the pistol tightly, I clenched my teeth as I squared off against the creatures.

"_Lisssssten, dessssscendant of the hero,_" hissed the tallest one, standing at nearly seven feet tall, "_you are intruding. We are guarding our sssssacred treasure, and you cannot have it_."

They could talk? I guess their adaptations had been more profound than I'd thought.

Without replying, I held my ground, glaring at the horrid beings.

"_Ssssso foolish_," growled another Redead. "_Jussssst like his ancessssstor._"

"_What shall we do with him_?"

"_Kill him._"

"_It'ssssss about time we had dinner._"

"_Warn the others, though, in cassssse he sssssomehow besssssts us_."

As the creatures bickered, I wondered if they'd be better off _not_ being able to communicate. Rolling my eyes in exasperation, I pointed my gun at the leader and shot two rounds, striking him in the forehead and chest. The Redead roared, falling to the ground in a pool of green blood. The remaining five turned to me, all raising their broadswords and charging forward with hisses of fury.

I sidearm-threw the knife at one creature, and it lodged in its chest. Dodging a Redead's downward swing, I rolled to the right, firing three rounds into its bandaged head. It, like the other two, roared and collapsed on the chamber floor. The final three surrounded me, closing in at an alarming rate. At the last second, I teleported away from the Redeads, reappearing at the door beside a terrified Zelda. They looked around, confused, attempting to locate me. Before they could, I had already picked them off with my sniper.

Panting, I wiped a bead of sweat off my forehead and glanced at Zelda. "You okay?" I asked.

Eyeing me quizzically, Zelda replied, "Uh, _I_ didn't get attacked by a group of Redeads, so yeah, I'm fine."

"In more ways than one." Despite the situation I was just in, I smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Now's probably not the best time for jokes, Link." Fighting a smile, Zelda's face was tinted pink as she carefully stepped into the chamber, toward the staircase.

"I wasn't joking, but you're right. Let's keep going." I headed toward the staircase at the other end of the chamber, motioning for Zelda to stay behind me. As we rounded every corner of the stairs, I raised my gun, for I hadn't an idea what would meet us. According to one Redead, there were others in the temple, so I had to be on alert.

Finally we arrived at the second floor. After switching my sniper for a shorter-ranged gun, I entered peeked around the corner through the doorway. Inside the room, the ground was dried-up grass, and dead trees were rooted in sporadic locations. I figured we were at ground level, no longer in the basement; the trees were dead due to lack of sunlight in the structure. The room was filled with an ominous fog, and as I cautiously stepped into the vegetated enclosure, the dead grass crunched underneath my feet.

With a rising sense of dread I realized there was no visible exit. Was there no way to get to the top from here?

Surveying the room, I made sure to look at the ceiling this time, but luckily I found it devoid of Redeads. The trees were a peculiar sight: black, gnarled, and disintegrating at the very touch. But before I could turn back and announce there was no way forward, I looked back up at the ceiling.

Words were carved into the stone surface, reading: HE WHO WISHES TO CLAIM THE TREASURE OF FARORE MUST SEARCH BENEATH HER CREATION.

What the hell would _that_ mean? Farore's creation…

Something clicked from deep within my mind. I recounted the legend of the Triforce and its creators, the golden goddesses._ "Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land and created the red earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world. Farore, with her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law."_

Farore created life… so that meant… I needed to look beneath life?

Life includes… people, animals, plants_-_\- _plants_! This room was filled with plants! They were all dead, but close enough. I walked to the center of the room, where a large tree trunk sat, looming over the other inferior trees. Placing my hand on the trunk, I felt the brittle, rotten wood chip off beneath my fingers. Smirking to myself, I stepped backwards a few feet; then, sprinting toward the tree, I leaped upward and kicked my legs out with enough force to make myself rebound off and land in the dead grass.

With a creak and a groan, the tree split at the base, then plummeted toward the ground. When it slammed down, the trunk imploded, scattering dust and tree debris into the air.

In the indent where the tree trunk once stood, there was a large, button-like object, made of bronze and marked with the symbol of Farore. Turning to glance quizzically at Zelda, I asked her, "It's safe. Come see this." I beckoned her toward me with a wave of the hand.

She gingerly made her way over to me, her eyes shifting as she searched for threats. I pointed to the object, and Zelda asked, "What is it?"

"Looks like some sort of switch." I scratched my chin. "Should I press it?"

Zelda shrugged. "I don't see any other way out of this room."

Nodding, I stepped on the switch with my boot. Almost immediately, a portion of the ceiling dropped to the floor, and I realized it was another staircase.

A determined frown set upon my face, I dashed forward, skipping steps as I climbed the spiral staircase. Once I reached the third floor, I didn't bother surveying the room first; instead, I barreled in through the doorway to find a dark, gloomy area with large columns from floor to ceiling. With horrible trepidation, I realized the room was swarming with Redeads.

There were at least ten, mostly congregating in the center of the room, but one stood on the other side of the wall my back was against, broadsword glistening in the torchlight. Seeing one so close, I nearly jumped out of my skin, but quickly darted my head back to cover.

I steadied my breathing, closing my eyes. When they reopened, I saw Zelda cautiously making her way up the staircase I had just scaled. Curtly waving my hand in an outward motion, I gestured for her to head back down, out of sight. As she did so her eyes widened; she'd clearly seen the massive amount of undead humanoids in there.

The Redeads in the middle were hissing to one another again, but I couldn't make out the words. I withdrew my two combat knives, then leaned forward toward the doorway, making sure to stay out of sight. Gathering my courage, I lightly scraped my blades together, producing a faint, shrill sound; hopefully, it'd only attract the closest Redead, and not the whole group.

Hearing the creature grunt on the other side of the wall, I repeated the action; after two more scrapes, I had the Redead coming toward me. Its bandaged, mummified feet stepped lightly on the dusty floor as it made its way closer, closer, closer… Until, finally, the Redead grunted and stood in the doorway; its beady, red eyes caught mine, but I was already in motion, digging my knives into the back of its body. I dragged the creature out of its brethren's sight, hiding it behind the wall I stood, then withdrew my blood-caked knives.

Shivering, I peeked back around the corner. Luckily, they all had their backs turned; I could infiltrate the room without being seen. Unluckily, I found no option for killing these creatures but taking them all on at once. I silently dashed into the room, hiding behind the stone column closest to the entrance. Back pressed against the cool surface of rock, I traded my knives for dual pistols, loading them with filled clips.

Remembering a gadget I possessed, I withdrew a flash bang from my belt, paused, then hurled it into the fray. Shutting my eyes tightly, I waited until I heard a pop and nine pained wails. With determination, I darted out from behind the column, shooting bullets into the backs of blinded Redeads. I downed three, hitting two others in the legs. The creatures' eyesight seemed to have revived, since their eyes glowed a fierce red; they roared in fury as I scurried to hide behind another column.

My heart pounded against my chest, forehead sweating. Then, I heard a deep cry, and when I looked up, the column was being sliced in two_-_\- fortunately, just above my head. The top half slammed to the floor, and I rolled out of the way, out into the open. Eyes widening, I saw the remaining six Redeads looming over me. As one, they swung their swords downward, but I was once again saved by teleportation. Reappearing in the center, I pulled the pin on a sticky grenade and chucked it at a creature. It stuck to its back, and before the thing had time to react it had already blown to smithereens.

Five remained. They all turned, hissing, and dashed toward me. Once they had me circled, I smirked and withdrew my dual pistols. Before I could pull the triggers, however, I was shocked when the creatures all screamed in a simultaneous, bone-chilling manner. I was so shocked, in fact, that I couldn't even move my limbs. My heart sank as the creatures all lifted their fire-licked broadswords.

_Why can't_ _I_ _move!? Come on, Link! Move!_

Golden bolts of light shot from the south, striking three Redeads straight through their hearts. They groaned in pain, then collapsed on the ground, and, miraculously, I could move again.

Bewildered, I turned to see Zelda, dashing forward, the Triforce of Wisdom shards glowing in her left hand. In her right she held a pistol, firing twice at another Redead, striking it square in the face. Like the others, it dropped to the stone floor.

One Redead remained. I hadn't noticed before, but it was the tallest yet, standing at seven-and-a-half feet, and its broadsword was the largest.

Zelda tried firing at the last one, but it dodged left and right with lightning speed. Frustrated, Zelda backed up, eyeing me nervously.

"_If you wish to take our treasure,_" it hissed, "_then you mussssst bessssst me in_ _a_ _duel, descendant of the hero._"

Glaring at the creature, which I assumed was the leader, I withdrew a knife in my left hand and held the pistol in my right. The Redead gripped its broadsword with two hands, squaring off against me.

Roaring, it lunged forward, but I rolled away just in time. I sliced at the creature's back, only to have it blocked by the blade_-_\- it was a wonder how the Redead could maneuver the weapon with such incredible speed and ease. Leaping backward, I made sure I was at a safe distance before pulling the pin on another sticky grenade, then threw it at the humanoid.

The Redead attempted to block and return it with its sword, but it stuck to the blade and didn't move. The creature's fiery eyes widened, and the grenade exploded in a shower of sparks and flames. Roaring, the Redead flew backward, its back smacking into the stone wall before sliding down to the floor. It wasn't dead, however, because it leaped back up, hissing in pain. With incredible speed, it dashed toward me, blade poised.

Zelda gasped, then pointed her pistol at the creature's back. She fired, and the bullet tore through the air, but bounced off the Redead's blade.

Seeing the creature's change in stance, I hurled my knife at it, and it buried to the hilt into the thigh. The Redead roared, ripped the knife out and dropped it, then made its way toward Zelda.

She gasped again, attempting to fire some more rounds at the creature, but she was out of ammo; she had given her spare clips to me.

I knew there was one weapon the Redead could not stop: my sniper. Unstrapping it from my back, I readied the gun. Barely even aiming, I struck the Redead in the back of the head, and it collapsed in a pool of green blood.

Breathing in rapidly, I returned my weapons to their respective holders, then stared at Zelda in awe. She returned the act, then made her way over to me, breaking out into a run. I caught her in a tight embrace, the aroma of daisies wafting up from her golden hair to my nose.

After a while, I pulled away, asking, "How did you do that?"

"The… the lightning?" she asked. I nodded. "I… don't know, exactly. I think it had to do with the Triforce."

Before I could respond, my earpiece beeped. "Agent Link, do you have the ocarina?" Once again, it was Impa.

"The ocarina?"

"The Ocarina of Time, Link. Do you have it?"

Remembering Sheik's words, the ocarina would be _'vital'_ in order to succeed. Hoping I'd stuffed it in the black backpack Zelda wore, I searched through it, finding it at the bottom. "Yes, Impa."

"Good." A pause. "Now, do you remember the _'Royal Lullaby'_ that Sheik taught you?"

I thought for a moment. "Yes."

"Do you see a Triforce crest anywhere in that room you're in?"

Holding the ocarina with gentle fingers, I surveyed the room, before spotting the ancient Hylian symbol, the Triforce crest, carved in the very center of the floor. "Yeah. What about it?"

"Stand near the crest and play the Royal Lullaby, Agent Link."

"Why?"

"You'll see."

_Like always._

Shrugging at Zelda, I made my way to the center of the room, then put the instrument up to my lips and began to play the song. After I finished, I stood there, but nothing happened. I looked at Zelda for an explanation, and she shrugged. "Impa, nothing's_-_-"

The floor rumbled, and my legs threatened to give out from underneath. Zelda clung to me out of fear. Suddenly, the center circle of the room shot upward with me and Zelda still standing on it, and as I looked up I saw we were going through an elevator-like tunnel.

After ten seconds of being lifted, we arrived at our apparent destination: the roof of the Woodfall Temple. It was just as big as the rooms we were in below, except it obviously had no walls or ceiling, and it was overrun with vines and moss. My eyes landed upon a podium standing at the edge of the roof, and on top of it rested a necklace with an emerald attached to it, bearing the mark of Farore.

"The pendant of courage," Zelda said softly.

Nodding, I gingerly stepped forward; the Triforce of Courage glowed brighter with every step. When I got to the foot of the podium, my insignia was glowing furiously. I reached out, wrapping my fingers around the thumb-sized emerald, and acquired the pendant of courage.

Smirking triumphantly, I returned to Zelda's side, grabbing her hand affectionately. "Let's get out of this goddess-forsaken dungeon, shall we?" Relieved, Zelda smiled, nodding eagerly.

I leaned in and kissed her cheek, looked down at the ground of the Deku Province, gripped a hyper grapple tightly in my palm, and jumped.

* * *

**For the record, the Woodfall Temple in this story has no relation to the actual temple in Majora's Mask. (If it did, it would be a pretty sucky dungeon.)**

**Also, my updates will most likely be slowing to every two weeks. Apologies, but school comes first.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	20. Wisdom

**Long chapter. You're welcome.**

**Song suggestions: Ganondorf- "Against Ganondorf" (TP OST)** / **Great Bay Temple- "Stone Tower Temple" (MM OST)** / **Dark Link- "Kumite: Skyward Sword" (HW OST)** / **Misc.- "Dragon Theme" (SS OST)** / **Unknown voice, Midna; Ending- "Midna's Desperation" (TP OST)**

**Thanks to Skyward Scrub for being an awesome beta reader.**

**Disclaimer:** I **don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda.** I **wish** I **did.**

* * *

**PART II** \- **KING OF SHADOWS**

**Chapter 20: Wisdom**

* * *

A glower of fury set firmly on his face, King Ganondorf rolled his gauntlet-clad fingers on the armrest of his throne. The soldiers sent on their impromptu mission had failed to capture the HBI agent, much to Ganondorf's disapproval.

He hated to admit it, but Ghirahim had been right. Years ago, on the dawn of Ganon's reign, the general warned him that giving the lower classes power would certainly lead to betrayal. Ganon, however, rebuffed accepting Ghirahim's disapproval, claiming that the agents would do what the police could never dream of doing. Plus, giving the minors power would let his underlings believe he was a fair and just ruler.

And then there was another issue that enraged Ganondorf to the very core.

"Captain!" called the king.

Immediately, a broad-shouldered man barged into the palace, then saluted respectfully. The captain was adorned in a simple navy vest, cargo pants, combat boots, and a badge symbolizing his authority. But what differentiated the captain from his inferiors was the fact that he had the appearance of a sadistic warrior. A green bandana covered the ivory skin of the man's lower face, and upon his left arm was a prosthetic, mechanical replacement, which was reinforced by thick, impenetrable iron. The fingers were replaced by elongated, razor-sharp claws. His dark blue hair was tied into a ponytail, undulating back and forth with his motions. Similarly-colored eyebrows were formed into a permanent frown above sunken eyes, the rims smeared with red war paint.

"Captain Byrne," said King Ganondorf, "bring me Vaati. I have much to discuss with him."

"Yes, your highness." Byrne saluted again, then hurried out of the palace.

A moment passed, and Ganondorf gathered his thoughts. He'd endured a substantial amount of betrayal in the past two months. It was odd how quickly it happened. First it was that sorry excuse for a prodigy, the so-called Shadow Agent, and his apparent love interest, the daughter of the missing Daphnes. Next, Pipit-_-_ whom the king had taken pride in for his devotion and leadership- turned on him in the blink of an eye. Last, presumably, Vaati.

Was Ganondorf's kingdom crumbling within his very grasp?

He pondered this for awhile until the door slowly reopened; through it strode General Vaati, cautiously, nervously. Captain Byrne followed close behind, rotating his iron arm in its shoulder socket.

"Y-your majesty?" Vaati asked meekly.

"Ah, yes, Vaati," chuckled the king with a sneer. "I wish to speak with you."

Clearly portraying his nerves, Vaati nodded very quickly, nearly giving himself whiplash. "What about, highness?"

Ganon's sneer dropped as he sent the general a bone-chilling glare. "Do not pretend you don't know, boy." Stricken by the king's use of the word _'boy',_ Vaati recoiled, gasping lightly. "I am aware that you pardoned Hyrule's most wanted criminal."

"What!?" Vaati exclaimed, red eyes widening in false surprise. "That's… that's _ludicrous!_ Y-your majesty, you do not understand-"

_"Silence."_ Ganondorf's commanding tone boomed across the palace, and Vaati's violet skin turned ghost white. "Ghirahim saw your little chat with those two rogues."

"G-Ghirahim!?" Vaati gaped at the king. "He… just _betrayed_ me like that!? Oh, that little-"

"Betrayed _you!?"_ Ganon exclaimed. "Bah! Look where you stand, boy, and tell me who is betraying whom." When Vaati grew quiet once more, Ganondorf sighed angrily. "And not only did you free the criminal, but you sent him off with an almighty relic, blessed with the power of gods!"

"Cursed!" Vaati retorted, throwing his hands outward. _"Cursed_ with power of gods! It cannot be used, or terrible things will happen! That mask will _destroy the world_ when-"

"You think I am incapable of handling such a mask?"

"N-no!"

"I believe you just contradicted yourself, then," Ganondorf growled. He raised his right fist into the air, clenching it tightly, and the golden insignia glowed brightly. "I bear the Triforce of Power, boy. _Nothing_ cannot be handled by me."

"B-but, your majesty, if you knew the whole tale, then you'd understand!"

"I do not need to _understand,"_ spat the king. "This mask could give me _power…_ more power than I currently possess. This could aid me in destroying Lorule, once and for all. This mask will make _everyone_ fear me, man or god, and nothing shall ever oppose my reign again."

"Y-you don't _need_ the mask, your highness," Vaati pleaded, falling to his knees. "They already fear you as is. We're on the right track to destroying Lorule."

"If they already fear me, then why are countless of my so-called allies conniving behind my back, plotting to end my reign?" Ganon left Vaati at a loss of words. Then, the king added, "Like _you,_ for instance."

Vaati recoiled as if hit by a rolling Goron. "N-no, your highness, I would never oppose you! Ever! I simply do not wish to see that mask destroy the world; what world would there be to rule _then?"_

"You threw away an opportunity for an incontrovertible victory against the rebellion." He stood up. "For this, you must be punished."

As Ganondorf's heavy boots stepped down the red-carpeted stairs from his throne, Vaati broke down into hysterics, trembling fervently."N-no… p-please, your highness! I've no intentions but to serve you! I-I'm your general!"

Fury blazing in his golden eyes, King Ganondorf's right hand gripped Vaati around the neck. The Wind Mage squirmed, eyeballs bulging. As he peered down with disdain at the choking sorcerer, Ganon muttered, "Demoted."

Ganondorf tightened his grip, crushing the Wind Mage's neck, then dropped the lifeless body to the floor.

* * *

1305 HOURS.

CLOCK TOWER, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

"That's odd," muttered Sheik, peering down at my right hand.

"What is?"

"Your Triumph-Forks." He pointed to the lower-right triangle of my insignia. "Look."

"The _Triforce,"_ I corrected, looking down at where Sheik pointed. The Triforce of Courage was glowing furiously, brighter than ever before, making the other triangles dim in comparison.

"It's probably because of the pendant of courage," Zelda chimed.

Nodding in agreement, I fidgeted with the pendant around my neck, peering down in awe at the enchanted emerald. "Yeah," I said simply.

"So, you guys up for some more training?" Sheik asked, an eager, crooked grin on his face.

"Nah," I replied, "I'm still kinda tired from yesterday's mission."

Sheik hung his head, groaning. "Ugh, don't be such a lazy-ass, Link! Did your ancestors ever take days off?"

"I'm sure they did."

"No, they didn't."

"And how would you know?"

"Because _real_ heroes take no days off, bro."

I rolled my eyes. "Then, by those standards, I'm not a hero."

"I couldn't agree more," said a voice from behind us. Sheik, Zelda, and I turned to see Midna, slowly stepping toward us. "Real heroes aren't _arrogant bastards_ who take their allies for granted."

My eyes narrowed at the general, a snarl forming at my lips.

Midna smirked, stopping a few feet in front of us three. "Are you here to ask for my forgiveness?"

"No," I said curtly. "Are you here to admit you were wrong?"

"No."

Sheik awkwardly shifted on his feet. "Uh… what went down between you two recently?" The Sheikah boy was conveniently ignored.

"I'm here," said Midna, "to deliver your next orders."

"Whatever they are, I know you're setting me up somehow."

"Negative; these orders are directly from Daphnes. If you still have doubts, go to him."

I skeptically raised my chin and squinted, but allowed her to continue speaking.

"The enchanted tunic- known as the 'Zora Tunic'- has been located. It rests in a place called the Great Bay Temple. It's in the southern Koholint Province, along Wind Fish Shore. Find the tunic as well as the pendant of wisdom. After you acquire the tunic, you will descend below the ocean and bury the possessed mask underneath the sand. Your mission begins tomorrow."

With a curt nod, the Twili turned and strode out of the Clock Tower headquarters.

* * *

"Your highness," Byrne called from the end of the palace with a deep, husky voice, "that was quite the spectacle."

Ganondorf took pride in Byrne for his thirst for blood and obsession with war, but now he simply glared at him. "What occurred in here today must be spread throughout the barracks. Let this be a lesson to anyone who dares to oppose me."

Byrne refrained from reminding the king of his _other_ lesson to traitors, the incident with Pipit, and simply nodded at the king. "Yes, your highness. I will spread word as soon as you dismiss me."

"Good," said Ganondorf darkly. "Now. You had inquiries, correct?"

"Affirmative. I've heard rumors that something at the Temple of Time has gone awry; presumably, there is a green beacon appearing from the left side of the pedestal."

Ganondorf chuckled. "It appears the Shadow Agent is attempting to awaken the Master Sword."

"The Master Sword?" Byrne asked. "Hasn't it disappeared?"

"Nay. It exists in an alternate dimension, only accessible through the Temple of Time. That pedestal you described- it holds the three keys to the blade of legend."

"Do you wish for me to guard the temple and prevent the Shadow Agent from retrieving the sword?" Byrne's eyes brightened with excitement.

"No," said the king, resting his chin on his fist. "Let him take the blade. It is destiny that the three bearers will meet- that will be my chance to pry the Triforce pieces from their lifeless corpses." The king laughed maniacally. "Then… I will become a god! I will rule the entire world!"

As Ganondorf finished his sadistic cackle, Byrne eyed the corpse of Vaati on the floor. Then, he cautiously spoke: "…So, I heard there's an opening in the _'general'_ position."

* * *

1400 HOURS.

APT. 10A, ANUBIS COMPLEX, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

There came a knock on my door, snapping me out of my daydreams. Zelda and I, lying on the couch together, shared a look. Shrugging, I stood up and made my way over to the door. What I found behind it was not what I expected.

"Hey, Link," said Fledge.

"Hey," I replied simply. "…What's up?"

"May I come in, please? I... think it's about time I talked to you."

"Uh, sure, yeah." I moved out of the way, allowing him to enter, then shut the door.

Zelda sat up from her previous lying position, shooting Fledge a quizzical glance. The green-haired boy flinched in her subtle scrutiny, then fixed his gaze on me. "I realize you're upset about Pipit being imprisoned."

I took a seat on the couch next to Zelda, motioning for him to sit in a nearby chair. Once we were both comfortable- in our seats, that is- I nodded at him.

Fledge released a heavy sigh. "And I bet you're wondering why they allowed _me_ to be pardoned, and not locked up like Pipit is right now. Well, you see… I could've been locked up for life, but they gave me an alternative option. I could work for Lorule, but only if I was given _this."_ He pulled his shirt collar down to reveal a thick, metal ring surrounding his neck. In the center was a blinking light, flashing red and black every other second.

Zelda released a subtle gasp. "What… is that?" she asked.

Fledge sighed again. "It's… a collar, of sorts. But it'll kill me if they decide if I'm still loyal to Hyrule."

"What!?" Zelda shouted. "That's too cruel!"

The former HBI agent shook his head. "Well, they don't think so-"

"Wait," I interjected, raising a finger, "who are _'they'?"_

"Sir Daphnes and General Midna," he responded darkly. "They didn't trust me, but wanted me on their side because of my talents."

"Whoa, whoa," I said. "Midna… and _Daphnes!?_ I mean, I understand that the power-hungry Midna would do this, but Daphnes!? What- why?"

"They possess an ability that no teenaged prodigy has; the war has hardened their emotions. They will not let saving the life of one individual affect the outcome of a revolution."

My eyes widened at Fledge's intellect; sure, I knew he was smart, but never had he astounded me to this extent with his wisdom.

"So… Pipit," Zelda said gingerly, "I'm guessing, refused to put on this collar? Is that why they're keeping him imprisoned?"

Fledge nodded.

While I respected Pipit for his decision, I still wished he'd accepted their offer. I would have liked to see my old friend by my side again. His opposition to the tyrant king had allowed me to see him in a new light.

And while Daphnes and Midna's proposition was simply out of caution, it was completely unreasonable- _evil,_ even. Those decisions that they made… They contradicted greatly with my own personal views.

I turned to give Zelda a fearful look- fear for Fledge, fear for Pipit, and fear for ourselves- and wasn't surprised to see her mirror my expression. And I wondered, with his recent decisions in mind, was her father the right person to work for?

Was there _any nation_ I could work for?

* * *

The wind blew Ganondorf's fiery red mane as he leaned his heavily-clad arms on the balcony, overlooking the city of Castle Town. Clouds dulled the sky to a gray tint, though the evening sun peeked through some areas, shining orange rays of light down upon the kingdom. To these rays Ganondorf spoke, loud and imposing: "You fear me."

No answer.

"You are interfering because I terrify you," he said. "No matter what you try, you cannot manipulate the free will of mankind. Man will fall; but only after I bring them to subjugation."

Still no answer.

Ganondorf smirked; he knew that he, in actuality, had an audience. "You three are leading him to the Master Sword; you think _that_ will stop me. But, instead, you are leading the whole kingdom to its downfall." The tyrant chuckled, noticing the slight breeze that picked up. "Bring him here, and he will not prevail. He will _die,_ I will claim his piece, and _you three_ will be responsible for Hyrule's demise."

The wind increased slightly, but there was still no reply.

"Goddesses: you are afraid that I will join you in your godly rank- that I will _surpass_ and _overtake_ you in power. Your attempts to prevent this are futile. The princess and so-called hero are merely _pawns;_ they will not stop me this time."

With that, the king turned and strode back inside his castle, leaving the door open; he knew the angry winds would shut it for him.

Once back in his palace, King Ganondorf called for Byrne to enter.

"Your highness?" asked the recently-promoted general.

"General Byrne," the king said, "I have a mission for you."

Byrne's eyes lit up in excitement.

"Have you heard of Majora's Mask?" he inquired; Byrne nodded. The king resumed his train of thought. "Take as many soldiers, weapons, and war machines you need to Lorule. I desire that mask."

* * *

"Sheik, do you have the sunglasses?"

"Yeah, Midna. Take 'em."

"Thank you."

"Not like I had a choice."

"Just sit down and be quiet while I work, okay?"

"I can do _one_ of those things," Sheik groaned, sinking down into his chair. "Still can't believe you're stealing Pip's footage."

Midna squinted. _"'Pip'?"_

"Pipit."

"Ugh," she grumbled. "I've already explained this, Sheik. Please, just let it go, and focus on your job."

"You didn't give me a job."

"Exactly."

Sheik rolled his eyes, grumbling quietly to himself while Midna extracted the footage from the sunglasses' microchip. She was entering endless lines of code into the computer in front of her, the glasses connected to it by a wire. Meanwhile, Sheik resorted to twiddling his thumbs and absently surveying the Clock Tower headquarters.

"Hey, Mid?"

"Don't call me Mid."

Sheik continued as if he didn't hear her. "What do you think Ravioli and Hills are up to?"

"I don't know, Sheik," she muttered impatiently. "Why don't you go try and find them?"

"Nah, there's probably no cell service in the dark world."

Exasperated, Midna grumbled, "Sheik, please just be quiet for a while. That's all I'm asking."

Sheik obeyed, his mind drifting to the ex-generals Ravio and Hilda and their freaky alternate world. What were they doing there? Plotting the light world's demise? Link mentioned that the demonic soldiers guarding the Clock Town artillery base were saying something about the Triumph-Forks- or, _Triforce._ So maybe that was what they were after. If so, then were Link and Zelda in danger?

Finally, Sheik broke the silence settling between them. "Ugh, this is so boring."

Midna slammed her fist on the desk, spun around in her chair, and glared furiously at Sheik. The boy recoiled and shriveled into his own chair; seeing Midna's scarlet eyes filled with such fury was like staring at Medusa. "Oh my Din, will you shut up!?"

"Heh," Sheik chuckled. "You said _'din'."_

"What!? Of course I said Din-"

"Yeah, but I was being loud, and the word 'din' means to make a racket."

Midna squinted at him as if trying to read a microscopic book. "You're such an idiot."

Sheik shrugged. "Just trying to entertain myself."

A solid ten minutes later, Midna finished extracting the footage of Ganondorf and Pipit's conversation, and she clasped her hands together in triumph. "It is done," she said, feeling around for her cell phone. Once it was out, she dialed a number Sheik could not see, then put it up to her ear.

"Finally," Sheik groaned.

"Hello? …Yes, Shad, this is Midna. Was the operation a success? …Okay. Right. Broadcast will be at 1700 sharp." She hung up.

"Who was that?"

"Another double agent, just less famous than Link. He works in the Hylian Technical Facility- that's where they do the examinations, along with storing data from cell phones, computers, et cetera."

Sheik squinted quizzically. "So why'd you call him?"

"Shad and his assistant, Ashei, work for Lorule. They were the ones who deleted all of Link, Zelda, Ravio, and Hilda's suspicious text and phone call data. They've already hacked the Hylian JumboTrons, and they'll help us broadcast the footage."

Sheik's eyes widened. "We do have lots of guys on our side, don't we?"

"Not enough," Midna said. "To overthrow a tyrant like Ganondorf, we will never have enough allies."

* * *

"Are you worried, your majesty?" Ghirahim asked slowly.

_"Worried?"_ The king's eyebrows shot up. "About what?"

The general shrugged. "The _agent,_ your majesty. Pipit. Do you really think he and Lorule will broadcast your secret across the nations?"

Ganondorf flicked his hand outward. "No. I am not worried. Lorule, as cautious as they are, probably killed the boy on sight; they likely didn't give him a chance to show the proof."

The general nodded. "Yes, your highness. That does sound accurate."

"However," Ganondorf said, his words growing icy, "if they do succeed in broadcasting it, I'll have you and a group of recon men find and kill the perpetrators. Understood, Ghirahim?"

"Yes, highness," breathed the general with a deep bow. "When will we launch this attack, and where?"

"It will be upon the western coastline- the Koholint Province, to be exact." Before Ghirahim could question how the king knew where the mask would be, Ganondorf raised a finger curtly. "The boy has the mask. He has already claimed the treasure of Farore- Nayru is likely next. Din's treasure, for an odd reason, is usually saved for last. Nayru's Lorulean temple stands somewhere along the coast, as I'm told. Therefore, we will attack the Koholint Province tomorrow."

"That is an exemplary hypothesis, your majesty. It will be a great plan."

"Hmph," grumbled the tyrant. "Flattery will do you no good."

Ghirahim fumbled for words. "…A-apologies, highness. Am I dismissed?"

"Affirmative. Bring Zant in here, as well."

"He may be residing in Castle Town at the moment, within his headquarters. If you'd like, highness, I can summon him-"

"Zant is _here,_ Ghirahim," Ganondorf grumbled impatiently. "Just bring him in."

"Yes, your majesty."

Ghirahim turned on his heel and strode out of the palace with haste, leaving Ganondorf to himself. The king growled, a knot of anger welling up within his chest.

After a long moment, the double doors slowly opened; through them strode Zant, his Twili robes dragging loosely across the palace floor. "Highness," murmured the general humbly, dipping unfathomably low to the floor in a bow.

"General Zant," replied the king. "It's good to see _you_ haven't betrayed me yet; I'd hate to dispose of _another_ general."

Zant swallowed hard; technically, he'd never betrayed Ganondorf, but he still regretted trusting the Shadow Agent a month or so before. He should've listened to Ghirahim and arrested the boy while he had him in his office. "…Y-yes, highness. I would never oppose you."

The king rolled his eyes. "Cease your excessive flattery. It truly angers me."

Zant recoiled as if struck. "I- Apologies, highness."

"Now." The king leaned back into his chair, folding his hands on his lap. "Let us discuss the issues of the current HBI agents."

"Uh…" said Zant uneasily. "There are only two left."

"Correct," said Ganondorf. "But, as of today, there will be zero."

"You… want to _kill_ them?" Zant asked quietly and meekly.

He scratched his chin, pondering. "That could be a possibility, but I do not want the public to be angered. That being said… just fire them."

"…But why? Didn't you say that the HBI agents are the backbone of Hylian law enforcement? Don't they do what the police cannot?"

"Not without the yellow rogue, they don't. The fat oaf and weak girl are useless now. They need the yellow boy's leadership."

Zant's robed arms outstretched as he pleaded, "But we don't _need_ to fire them-"

"I _cannot deal_ with any more _betrayal,_ Zant!" Ganondorf roared furiously. "I do not want to take any further chances! We mustn't give any more privileges to the common folk. Therefore, they must be removed from power."

Luckily for the general, Ganondorf couldn't see the disapproval set upon Zant's face; it was hidden beneath the helm he wore. Still, though, to retain his position as general- and to stay alive- he had to obey. "Yes, highness."

Ganondorf curtly waved his arm outward. "Dismissed."

* * *

1455 HOURS.

APT. 10A, ANUBIS COMPLEX, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

70 DEGREES INSIDE.

"Link," Zelda said, dropping her spoon into her bowl of Deku-O's, "after this is all over, what do you want to do?"

_Well,_ I mused, _this could take awhile._

Truthfully, I didn't know. My heart yearned to stay with Zelda; however, my conscience told me to correct the mistakes Ganondorf made during his reign. The first example that came to mind was the plague. I couldn't just abandon my old home, forget about the people there, and live it up in a castle. Something told me I had to rid the world of the plague once and for all- that meant curing the patients and eradicating every last known Shadow Beast.

"I haven't really thought about it," I lied.

Zelda subtly sagged her shoulders, as if she'd expected me to say, 'I want to live with you, of course.' Unfortunately, things were a lot more complicated than that.

"Oh," she said, somewhat disheartened. "Well, maybe…"

When she trailed off, I raised my eyebrows. "Zel? Maybe what?"

"…Never mind. I thought I had-" She cut herself off. "Never mind."

Sensing her sadness, I wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in close. "Hey, Zel. Remember when I asked you a similar question, and you said, 'We can worry about that when we get there'?"

Zelda shrugged, offered me a weak smile, then nodded. "Yeah."

Suddenly, my FiPhone rang within my pocket. Answering it, I spoke: "Yeah?"

"Agent Link, it's Midna. Look- I need you to go to the Great Bay Temple as soon as possible. We're scheduled to broadcast the footage at 1700, and I've received word from a spy that Hyrule will attack us proceeding the presentation. We will need you to fight, so please: hurry."

"Midna, 1700 is in two hours, and it takes at least an hour to get to Wind Fish Shore from here. There's no way we'll make it in time."

"Take a jet." She said it with such simplicity that it sounded like jets were as common as rocks.

My eyebrows shot up. "I don't know how to pilot a jet, Midna."

"You don't need to. We _have_ pilots, you know."

"Uh…" I looked at Zelda, and she shrugged, then nodded. "Fine. We'll go."

"May the goddesses be with you."

"Whatever."

Hanging up the FiPhone, I stood up from the barstool.

"So…" Zelda began uneasily, biting her bottom lip. "Koholint?"

I shrugged, sighing. "Yeah. Guess so."

* * *

A sadistic grin hidden behind his green bandana, Byrne gripped the steering wheel with his prosthetic arm. The window of his military truck was rolled down, and he allowed the wind to whip his ponytail around as he led the convoy southward. Byrne looked upward through the sunroof, noticing the band of Hylian warbirds soaring overhead.

"General," said a voice in his walkie-talkie, "it is Volga."

"What do you wish to tell me, Captain?"

"Wardragon is airborne," Volga said.

"Wardragon?" Byrne inquired. "What is that?"

Volga scoffed. "Hmph. It is only the _most lethal aircraft_ in the world. Surely the king's _best choice_ to replace Vaati as general should know about Hylian weaponry."

"Do not take that tone with me, Captain," Byrne grumbled with a sneer. "I do possess more power than you."

_"Politically,"_ murmured the captain. "Not physically."

Byrne rolled his eyes. "Tell you what, Volga: you and I will be allies today during the ambush, and tomorrow we can return to being enemies. Deal?"

The captain snorted. "Fine."

"So, the plan." Byrne looked in the rear view mirror, seeing a dozen similar military trucks following close behind. "First, the aircrafts, led by the Wardragon, will attack the Outset Province's border defense. Once a path is cleared, the convoy will drive through, maintaining our southward direction toward Koholint. Ganondorf's orders for the battle are to kill any Loruleans in sight, but the main target will be the Shadow Agent. He's easy to spot; he wears a green tunic."

"Why the green boy?"

"He possesses a treasure that Ganondorf desires."

"And what treasure would that be?"

"That is classified information."

Volga grumbled to himself. Then, more audibly: "Give me the order when to pull ahead and attack Outset. Okay? Volga out."

Before Byrne got premoted, he and Volga were both captains in the Hylian army. Both had an unmitigated thirst for bloodshed, though Volga was more interested in using his flamethrower, whereas Byrne preferred hand-to-hand combat. Due to Byrne's rise in power, Volga became envious and challenged his authority.

The dusty roads of Gerudo Village gradually grew into imposing dunes of sand, and the convoy entered the Haunted Wasteland, the region between nations.

That meant there would be approximately two hours to get to Koholint.

* * *

1520 HOURS.

WIND FISH SHORE, KOHOLINT PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

74 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

I had less than two hours to get the pendant of wisdom, acquire the Zora Tunic, and dive underwater to bury the possessed mask underneath the sandy bottom.

After an exhilarating and frightening jet ride, my legs were reduced to gelatin; as soon as I stepped out of the vehicle, I collapsed onto the sand. Zelda followed suit. "Don't worry," the pilot had said, "that's normal for first-timers."

And so, there I was.

My feet were planted into the sand as I peered out toward the stone structure that loomed over the ocean. Waves lapped up against its eastern wall, the side that bordered the shoreline, and produced a calming, though somewhat haunting, sound. Giving Zelda's hand a reassuring squeeze, I set off toward the Great Bay Temple.

The entrance had to be fifteen feet tall and eight feet wide, with a staircase descending into the depths of the temple. We climbed down the mossy, slippery steps, scarcely illuminated by the dim torches on either wall.

Once at the bottom of the stairs, we emerged in a long and wide room. I surveyed it; a third of the room, located in the very middle, was water. As I stepped closer I peered down into it, noticing that it was very deep. When I looked back up, I saw that the other platform was raised higher than the one we stood on, so it wasn't possible to swim across to get to the other side.

"How do we get across?" Zelda asked quietly; nonetheless, her voice echoed across the temple's interior.

"I don't know," I admitted. "Maybe there's a switch or something at the bottom." I pointed down at the water.

"I wouldn't go down there, Link," she warned softly. "You could get hurt, so wait until you get the Zora Tunic."

I nodded. "Right."

"Can we climb to the other end?"

"Maybe with the hyper grapples," I suggested. "I'll try; you stay here."

Gripping a round, purple object in each hand, I dashed toward the wall, utilizing my momentum to leap high into the air. The hyper grapples glowed bright blue, their magnetic force pulling me to the wall; once connected, my legs swung forward and jarred against the stone surface. Grimacing, I clenched my teeth, releasing my hold on the left grapple and allowing myself to swing and reposition it. I repeated this motion, swinging back and forth while making my way toward the higher platform.

About halfway through my climb, I was startled by a high-pitched screech. Before I could locate the source, I'd already been struck in the calf by what I assumed were sharp claws. Grunting in pain, I felt my fingers slip from the handle of the grapple; I tried to maintain my grip, but to no avail. Right hand still clinging onto a grapple, I swung to the right from my momentum, as if I were a pendulum.

I heard Zelda gasp, but now I was more concerned with killing my attacker. With my free hand I withdrew a combat knife, searching the air for a clawed creature. My eyes landed upon a dark, decently sized keese, staring at me with beady red eyes and baring its fangs.

It screeched once more, swooping down to attack me, but I swung my left arm in a horizontal motion; the blade sliced the keese's front side, and it began plummeting downward.

Panting lightly, I reached for the grapple and caught it after swinging back and forth a few times to build momentum. Then, I resumed making my way to the other platform.

Once I was hanging above my destination, I pressed a button on each grapple, and the blue light faded away, releasing me from its magnetic hold. My feet landed hard on the stone, knees nearly crippling. I looked around, trying to locate a way forward. A single torch sat in the middle, illuminating a small orb around it; the rest of the platform was shrouded in darkness.

When my eyes skimmed over the dark corners, chills ran down my spine. Looking down, I saw, oddly enough, a wooden stick. Squinting curiously, I reached to pick it up, studying it. It seemed normal, but what was a branch doing in a stone temple? There weren't any trees growing nearby, either; it was a sandy region and trees don't grow well in sand.

Deciding it'd be best not to question it, I found my eyes involuntarily returning to the dark corner nearest to me. When I looked even closer, I thought I could see another torch, though unlit. I then realized the significance of the out-of-place tree branch. Maybe lighting the other torch would trigger some sort of reaction within the temple. Mentally shrugging to myself, I waved the branch in the lit torch until it caught fire, then cautiously made my way toward the eerie shadows. Once at a reasonable distance, I outstretched my arm and allowed the flaming branch to catch on the torch.

Another orb of firelight appeared thereafter, though something seemed… off. The corner remained dark. And the darkness was shaped… into… a _figure?_

_"Triforce!"_ roared the dark figure, slowly turning around to face me, fierce red eyes fixated on mine.

I nearly leaped out of my skin. Every muscle tensed up; my stomach knotted up in fear. This figure… was a mirror, an exact replica of me, shrouded in perpetual blackness.

_"Triforce!"_ it repeated. A dark combat knife scraped out of the sheath, and the humanoid lurched forward sporadically due to its ragged breathing. The dark version of me readied his ten-inch dagger, squaring off against me.

Despite my initial shock, I gradually became less afraid; I withdrew an identical knife, standing poised on the balls of my feet.

The humanoid dashed forward with incredible agility, and I rolled out of the way from his downward swing. I attempted swinging horizontally at the back of its left knee, but my doppelganger backflipped out of reach. Rising cautiously to my feet, I withdrew a blaster from a holster and fired four beams with my left hand. To my dismay, the creature ran toward the projectiles, sliding underneath them on its knees and bending backward. Once the beams had passed over its head, the creature threw its knife sideways at me; I rolled out of the way, but the blade managed to graze my side. Grimacing, I clutched the wound, glaring furiously at my doppelganger.

I heard a distant gasp, and both Links, good and evil, turned to locate the source. But right as the dark one turned its head, it was met with five electric projectiles to the face. The creature roared and clutched its searing face, then glared furiously down at the blonde girl. It withdrew another dagger, red eyes glowing with rage; as I looked at the dagger I could've sworn I saw an upside-down Triforce engraved on the hilt.

I didn't have time to ponder what that meant, however, because the creature bent its knees and jumped down from the tall platform.

"No!" I yelled, dashing to the edge in spite of my wound. The creature had leapt over the water and was advancing toward a terrified Zelda, who backed up cautiously, warning her pursuer with glowing hands. Quickly, I yelled into my FiPhone, "Teleport!"

I reappeared on the lower platform, racing forward with my knife raised. At the last possible second, the creature preformed a sideways cartwheel, dodging my slice. Frustrated, I swung again, horizontally. The creature leaped upward, and, to my disbelief, stood on top of my ten-inch combat knife.

It was _taunting_ me!

Furiously, I reached for my backup knife in my tactical belt, then drove it into the creature's thigh. It roared in fury, and despite its new injury, backflipped off of my other blade.

It stood facing me, which clearly was a mistake; four more electric beams shot into the back of its head, and it thrashed as the energy coursed through its body. I moved in a half circle around the creature, so that Zelda, my doppelganger, and I formed an 'L' shape, with the creature standing in the middle. It shifted on its feet, deciding who to face.

Zelda utilized the power of the Triforce of Wisdom shards she possessed, charging her palm with golden light. The creature's red eyes widened as Zelda released a bolt of light, but he blocked it horizontally with its dagger, sending it back toward me. I swung my knives at the bolt at the same time that Zelda shot another, and they simultaneously collided with the dark creature's body.

My dark doppelganger convulsed as the light overtook its body, driving the darkness out. The creature roared in agony, then disappeared with a flash of golden light. A single object clattered on the ground in its place.

After Zelda and I had steadied our breathing, I hesitantly made my way over to the object, and I realized it was a large key, sculpted out of stone and engraved with the symbol of Nayru.

"A key," Zelda said quietly. "Where would we use it?"

Still panting, I picked it up and replied, "Don't know. There must be a door or something around here."

"Yeah," she said. "Hey, maybe it's hidden somewhere up there." Zelda pointed up at the higher platform where I'd first seen my doppelganger.

"It was pretty dark up there," I said. Remembering the unlit torch, I wondered if there was another one in the opposite corner. "Couldn't hurt to look some more." Withdrawing my FiPhone once more, I groaned as I realized something.

"What?" Zelda asked, a small smile presenting itself on her lips.

"I could've teleported to the platform," I groaned, "instead of climbing all the way over there."

Zelda giggled. "Well at least you got a good workout from it," she offered.

"Yeah." I laughed lightly, then spoke into my cell phone: "Teleport."

I reappeared on the high platform, noticing the branch hadn't completely burned up. After picking it up, I allowed it to catch fire on the middle torch, then moved to the right corner. It turned out that there was another unlit torch, so I waved the flaming branch near the torch until it caught fire.

I waited a moment for something to happen. Then, Zelda called out from the lower platform, "Link?"

"Yeah?"

"Come down here."

"Okay." Once more, I took out my FiPhone, and spoke: "Teleport."

Nothing happened.

_"Teleport,"_ I repeated.

"Recharging," announced Fi, the cell phone's so-called spirit.

"Dammit," I muttered. "Zel, I'm gonna have to jump. My phone's not letting me teleport."

"Okay. Don't drown."

"I'll try."

I breathed in deeply, then broke out into a run toward the edge of the platform. I leaped up, outstretched my arms, and plummeted straight down in a dive. The water was cold, but refreshing. Once I surfaced, I swam over to the lower platform and clambered up, grimacing as pain erupted in my left side.

Zelda seemed to notice my struggle- it was pretty obvious, considering how I rolled onto the platform with my eyes closed and teeth clenched- and hurried over to me. "Link? Link!" she exclaimed, cupping my face with her hand.

"Y-yeah," I grimaced, "I'm… okay."

She lowered her hand to mine, which was clinging to my side, and lifted it off. Zelda gasped as my wound from the dark blade was revealed, and it was much wider than I'd thought. Maybe diving into the water had torn it open a bit further. "No, Link, you _aren't_ okay."

"Thanks," I grunted. "I… feel a _lot_ better now."

"Here," she said, pulling her backpack off. She unzipped it and withdrew a blue instrument, the Ocarina of Time. She put the instrument up to her lips, then played.

As the soothing melody of the Song of Healing rang faintly in my ears, the searing pain slowly faded.

"Th-thanks," I murmured, sitting up slowly.

"Of course," she replied with a sweet smile, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Just try to take it easy for the rest of the mission, 'kay?"

"I don't know if I can promise that," I admitted. "If Midna's spy is correct, then there's a battle I'll have to fight in after this."

"Just try," she said softly, blue eyes teeming with concern.

Sighing in defeat, I nodded. "Okay."

"Good."

"So what did you want me to come down here for?"

"See for yourself," she said, pointing behind her at some sort of chest.

With Zelda's assistance, I slowly stood up, making my way over to the chest. Kneeling down to it, I inserted the stone key into the lock, turned it, and opened the top.

Inside was a blue article of clothing, shaped exactly like mine, but adorned with bronze armor along the shoulders and a matching bronze helm attached to the cap. "The Zora Tunic," I murmured.

After an uncomfortable five minutes, the blue tunic, armor and all, was on me. Zelda offered to store my signature green tunic in her backpack.

I lifted the helm up over my head, then brought Zelda into a deep kiss. I stroked her golden hair affectionately, and she returned the action. After pulling away, I said softly, "Stay here."

She bit her bottom lip, as if she were about to protest, but nodded instead. "Okay."

I released my hold on her, then turned and made my way toward the water.

"Link," she called. I turned to face her. "Be careful."

I nodded. "Okay." I slid the bronze helm back down over the bridge of my nose, turned back around, and dove into the water.

It was dark, but the helm had some special ability that allowed me to see. And breathe, of course. Somehow, I was able to maneuver through the water like a fish.

I swam underneath the higher platform, and it funneled into a long, winding tunnel. Avoiding seaweed and the occasional piranha, I made my way through the tunnel, eventually emerging in a small, gloomy cove. I surfaced, sliding the bronze helm back up over my blue cap.

In the center of the cove was a stone podium, holding a necklace with a glimmering sapphire attached to it.

I waded through the shallow water toward the podium that stood in the sand, but was startled to hear the sound of splashing behind me.

Gripping the hilts of both knives tightly, I whipped around, and saw, once again, my dark doppelganger.

I growled in fury, "You here to stop me?"

The humanoid cocked its head, its face blank aside from its pair of infernal eyes. Then, it brought a hand up to his face, attached something purple to it, screaming agonizingly toward the heavens.

Darkness swirled around the figure, then disappeared; in the figure's place stood a pale boy with jet-black hair, a purple tee, cargo pants, and dark boots. "Does it _look_ like I'm standing in your way?"

My eyes widened in complete shock. _"…Ravio?"_

The boy rolled his eyes. "Clearly, I cannot best you alone. I should have listened to Hilda and been more patient."

I squinted quizzically at him. What was he talking about?

"I guess I'll have to wait until you three are together at once."

_'You three?'_ What three?

"Take the pendant," Ravio spat. "It'll just progress our plan."

Suddenly, rage overcame me, and I clenched my teeth. This guy tried to kill me. Twice.

Ravio sighed angrily, flipping a bronze coin upward toward the stone ceiling. A Twili portal manifested from the ceiling, growing larger as Ravio was slowly lifted through it.

Roaring furiously, I threw a combat knife straight at Ravio. It buried to the hilt in his shoulder, and his eyes widened. Before he could act, he shot up through the portal and disappeared.

Panting, I stared down at my boots, then turned to walk toward the podium.

"I am everywhere."

The voice boomed in my ears, echoed throughout the temple.

"You cannot fight me."

The voice was deep. It didn't belong to Ravio.

"You never will."

Something about it reminded me of Ganondorf, but somehow, this voice was more authoritative, more commanding, more threatening- if that was even possible.

"I will live on… _eternally._ My soul does not merely reside within the Gerudo man. It exists… _everywhere."_

Chills ran down my spine.

"Within _you,_ even." The voice laughed. "That shadow of yourself… that was _my_ doing."

"Ravio was created by _you?_ Who- who _are_ you?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice level.

"Nay; the rabbit boy was not created by me. His true form, the demonic version of you, was. It was your _internal demon,_ manifested." It laughed again.

"Who are you!?" I demanded again.

"The lone spirit who lives on. The _destroyer_ of light. The creator of _all_ evil."

My eyes widened even further.

"The Demon King," the voice boomed. "Fight my incarnate, hero. Kill him if you desire. But remember: my soul lives perpetually."

And with that, the voice was gone.

As terror coursed throughout my body, I snatched the pendant of wisdom, then left the temple as soon as humanly possible.

* * *

Midna's finger hovered over the "Enter" key, watching the clock tick slowly by. _1659._ One minute. The world would know Ganondorf's secret in one minute.

In one minute, the world would turn on Ganondorf.

The people would protest.

Ganon's kingdom would collapse under its instabilities.

And then, Lorule would take over. Ganon's reign would end. The golden kingdom would return.

With these thoughts in mind, Midna smiled, turning to look out the Clock Tower's window and seeing a JumboTron display the Lorulean national anthem:

THE MEMORY OF THE GOLDEN KINGDOM HAS VANISHED, BUT ITS LEGEND SURVIVES ON THE WIND'S BREATH.

O, HOLY GODDESSES, LEAD US TO OUR IMPENDING TRIUMPH, THE RETURN OF LIGHT, AND THE EVIL KING'S DEATH!

She turned back to view the clock. It read _1700._

It was time.

* * *

**Wow. This chapter's definitely my new favorite. It's an epic length, too: around 7.7K words. Dang.**

A **couple of notes to add:**

**-Fi is like the iPhone's "Siri."**

**-Sorry about killing off Vaati.**

**-The voice at the end will probably return.** I **felt it was pretty obvious who it was, but I'll leave that up to you to decide. (Hint: think Skyward Sword)**

**-Ravio and Hilda's plan was detailed in the last few chapters of Part** I. **If you don't remember it, go back and skim through those chaps.**

**-Dark Link is Ravio's true form.**

**Yep, that's it.** I **really enjoyed this chapter, and** I **hope you did too. Also, thanks for helping me get to 100 reviews! Y'all are rad.**

**To be continued.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	21. Power

**Hey, look. It's chapter nine plus ten. (If you haven't been active on Vine for the past month or two, you won't get that joke.)**

**Another epic chapter… in my opinion, anyway.**

**Song suggestions: Beginning- "Ballad of the Goddess [Skyward Sword Main Theme]" (SS OST) / Outset battle- "Face a Crisis" (HW OST) / Koholint battle- "Psychostorm" (HW OST) / Midna- "Farewell Hyrule King" (WW OST) / Misc.- "Dragon Theme" (SS OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

**Thanks to Skyward Scrub for being an awesome beta reader.**

* * *

**PART II - KING OF SHADOWS**

**Chapter 21: Power**

* * *

1700 HOURS.

WIND FISH SHORE, KOHOLINT PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

64 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

I stared down at my new blue tunic, tapping my knuckles lightly on the bronze shoulder pads, testing its reinforcement. I smirked to myself, musing about how well the color suited me.

Then I remembered_-_\- it was 1700.

Eyes widening, I looked to my left, where Zelda stood. Our eyes locked; hers were filled with fear, mine with anxiety. "The mask?" I questioned.

She simply lifted her chin, gesturing for me to look behind me. I complied; coming from the south, barreling through the sand, was a convoy of Lorulean military trucks, armed to the teeth in weapons and artillery. Soldiers stood in the beds of the trucks, some mounting turrets, others simply carrying rifles.

What surprised me the most was what lead the convoy: a gray horse, boasting metallic hooves, onyx-dark eyes, a mane and tail of silky white hair, and a silver helm along its snout. However, the gelding did not gallop toward the two of us with its well-toned legs; it flew. Carried by a pair of majestic wings, the pegasus glided southward to us, surprisingly keeping up with the man-made forms of transportation.

Mounted upon this magnificent beast was none other than Robin.

Zelda and I shared a brief glance, confusion and awe contorted in our expressions. Robin, mounted proudly on his steed, slowed his gelding to a stop with a calm "Whoa, there." The military trucks stopped as well; it seemed Robin possessed some authority over the other soldiers.

"_Robin_…?" Zelda and I asked uneasily.

The wise old man was even adorned in different attire; rather than his traditional beige sweater and brown slacks, Robin opted for a seemingly more regal appearance. A long-sleeved white undershirt was beneath steel breastplate armor, and tied to it was a green cape bearing the Triforce symbol. Chain mail protected his legs over a pair of white pants, covered from the shins down by black boots. He wore no helm for battle, which was ironic, considering he appeared to be well-prepared for an attack.

"Greetings, Link and Zelda." Despite his change of appearance, Robin still offered us his benevolent grin.

I could think of no better way to say what was on my mind than, "…What's up with your clothes?"

Robin merely chuckled. "The outfit was a gift. And I am not to deny any gifts."

When he didn't elaborate, Zelda inquired, "From whom?"

"Old friends of mine," came his vague reply. "They seem _very_ interested in keeping me alive_-_\- hence, the armor. Apparently, I am part of their _'great mission,'_ so to speak. I am to provide you aid."

"And you have," I said. "So… why the pegausus? Why not just _drive_ like everyone else?"

"Ah, Onox, my steed." He patted the beast's neck affectionately. "To answer your question, I shall never trust the creations of mankind. The world has become corrupt with gadgets and technology; someday, I fear that will be our undoing." As Robin spoke, Onox kicked the sand with its hooves, snorting.

"I have come," he continued, "to bring you the mask. Not only do I not trust vehicles, but I do not trust the men who created them. In our world, in our current situation… there is no reason to take unnecessary risks."

I nodded, understanding his viewpoint; someone could easily become corrupted by the power emanating from the spirit of Majora. It was wise of him to safeguard it personally_-_\- granted, he was called the "Wise Man of Koholint" for a reason.

Robin reached into Onox's saddlebags, withdrawing a purple, heart-shaped relic. "Take it, Link. Take it and rid the world of its evil."

I cautiously walked up next to Onox, who snorted and cocked its head questionably at me. I took the possessed mask, immediately feeling lightheaded at the very touch.

The intense golden eyes of Majora's Mask stared back at me, whispering faintly in my ears words I could not decipher. About to lose consciousness, I tore my gaze away from the mask, and I instead focused on the shoreline ahead. Zelda grabbed my hand, and I turned to look at her.

"B-be careful down there, okay?" she pleaded with concerned eyes.

I wrapped her into a tight embrace, and my lips met hers for a brief moment. After I pulled away, I whispered into her ear, "I promise."

"Hey!" shouted a voice from the convoy. I turned to see Sheik sitting next to Fledge in the bed of the lead truck, armed with Lorulean blasters and combat knives. "Get a move on, Link! We don't have much time!"

Robin, in his divine attire, nodded in my direction. "Sheik is correct, Link. I suggest you make haste."

I closed my eyes briefly, inhaling a deep breath. When I reopened them, a frown of determination was set firmly upon my face. I slid the bronze helm down over the bridge of my nose, gripped Majora's Mask tightly in my gauntlets, and trotted down to the shoreline.

* * *

"Now!" Byrne shouted into the walkie talkie.

Led by the Wardragon, the band of four warbirds, airlifted by large propellers, glided forward in the direction of the Outset Province's _"impenetrable"_ Waker Fort. The fort was more of a barrier, constructing the northern border of Lorule, and it consisted of fifteen-feet-wide walls and five mountainous artillery towers.

Volga, piloting the massive Wardragon, headed toward the main tower. He willed the vehicle forward, gripping the dual-handled steerer tightly. When an artillery launcher shifted toward the Wardragon, Volga pressed his thumb down on the left button of the steerer. Bullets rained down upon the tower, but that didn't stop the launching of six homing rockets. Each curved inward, heading straight for Volga's windshield in attempts to kill the pilot. Frustrated with the aircraft's poor maneuverability, Volga pressed the right button of the steerer, and flames poured out of a front facing pipe, dousing the incoming rockets in a scorching inferno. The rockets exploded out of Volga's range, so he pressed on toward the tower.

Meanwhile, the warbirds were locked into combat with the remaining artillery towers. The eastern tower erupted into flames as rockets collided with the stone surface. Lorulean soldiers persisted, however, attempting to return fire at its respective warbird. Before they could, their tower collapsed and imploded, crumbling to the ground and spewing rubble in various directions. At the sight of the flames, a sadistic grin appeared on Volga's face.

When foot soldiers exited the main tower, pointing upward at the Wardragon with rocket launchers and laser rifles, Volga activated the vehicle's intercom. "Soldiers!" he shouted. "Arm the turrets! Fire downward upon the enemy!"

The port and starboard wings of the aircraft deployed three turrets each, hanging from the metal surface above. Hylians mounted the turrets, firing electric beams upon the enemy. At contact with these beams, Loruleans thrashed violently, then collapsed to the ground.

"Captain!" shouted a voice in the walkie talkie. "Warbird 0024 is hit! Repeat: Warbird 0024 is _hit_!"

"Descending?" Volga inquired, frustrated.

"Rapidly!"

Volga grumbled, then banked left, swooping behind his airborne allies and out of the enemy's crosshairs. Once near the westernmost tower, he saw the flaming engine, which gradually dragged the warbird down in its direction.

In the middle of the Wardragon's steerer was a red button; he made sure the western tower was in his line of sight, then pressed it. Several bombs shot through the air, striking the tower and crumbling it to pieces.

"Captain!" called the soldier again.

"Hmph," grumbled Volga. "I dispatched your tower, so there is no further use for you."

"…_W-what_!? Captain, wait! Please-"

Volga easily blew up the nearest engine, which sent the aircraft plummeting to the ground.

"What're you doing!?" Byrne shouted into the walkie talkie.

Ignoring the general, Volga returned to the main tower, where he narrowly avoided another flurry of rockets.

"I've had enough!" Volga roared. He knew that the soldiers had to reload the artillery launcher, so he had a chance to strike. He pressed the middle button again, which lobbed several bombs up into the air, descending toward the tower. With an intense battle cry, Volga sped forward with the Wardragon, approaching the tower at a rapid pace. Then, when he could practically hear the soldiers gasp in terror, he pressed the right button with his thumb, releasing another torrent of flames. The bombs collided with the now-flaming tower, creating an even larger explosion that made Volga's ears ring.

He ascended through the gray sky, noticing that one tower remained_-_\- the tower to the east of the main tower. Volga once again banked left, commanding to his passengers, "We're going to attack it from above! Ready the explosives!"

Gliding slowly forward, Volga stalled, awaiting his soldiers' word. Finally, after nearly a minute: "We're ready, Captain!"

"On my command, then!" The captain willed the Wardragon forward with increasing speed, eventually slowing down once the vehicle's midsection was hovering above the tower. "Now!"

The bomb was deployed, plummeting down toward the roof of the tower. Once struck, the tower exploded in an inferno, then collapsed into ashes and rubble.

The Hylian convoy erupted into cheers, and Volga smirked, reporting to Byrne, "The deed is done. Let us proceed."

"Good work, Captain," Byrne muttered begrudgingly.

"Hmph," came Volga's humble reply.

Byrne continued: "Alright, listen_-_\- every warbird shall now proceed in the water. Dive underneath and head to Koholint. They'd see you from afar if you flew, so this will be a more tactical approach. The convoy of trucks shall continue southward from here. Understood?"

"Aye!" shouted the pilots in unison, excluding Volga.

"_Water_…" he grumbled. "I _hate_ water."

"Deal with it," replied Byrne. "The Wardragon_-_\- I'm assuming_-_\- will be just fine. Like the warbirds, it probably transforms into a submarine too, right?"

"Of course it does," Volga snapped.

"Then man up," Byrne retorted, "and lead the warbirds to the water."

"I'll lead _you_ to your _grave_."

"This mission is too important, so I'll ignore that comment. Byrne out."

Volga grumbled angrily; he never liked water, yet he never knew why. He could swim just fine, but something about being underwater made him feel… powerless. In the air, he felt like he was teeming with power, especially aboard the Wardragon.

With a deep breath, Volga urged the vehicle westward, toward the coast, with the remaining aircrafts in tow. Anger and determination welling up within him, Volga descended the Wardragon from the sky, plunging into the depths of the ocean.

* * *

Midna sat at her desk, heart thumping rapidly as she looked out the window at the JumboTron. Daphnes stood beside her, leaning a hand on her desk. "Shad," Midna said nervously into her cell, "please tell me the hack was a success."

There was a pause, some faint shouting, and then Shad responded breathlessly, "Y-yeah… It was… a success."

Relieved, Daphnes smiled at the information, yet Midna remained wary. "What was that commotion?"

"Oh, uh… just some Hylian soldiers who figured out our plan." He remained panting. "Ashei and I… incapacitated them."

Suddenly the voice changed. "He means that _I _incapacitated them while _he_ stood back and watched," Ashei muttered to Midna.

"Are you injured?"

"Nah. Shad got struck once or twice in the windpipe, but he'll be fine."

Midna thought she heard Shad murmur faintly, "Easy… for _you…_ to say."

"Look out your window, Midna," Ashei said with a light tone. "The world knows."

Midna obeyed, turning to walk towards the Clock Tower's large window. Not too far down, on another building, was a JumboTron. It boomed the voices loud enough, even from Midna's distance, for her to hear.

Ganondorf was shown sitting on his throne. "Agent yellow boy. What brings you here?"

"It's _Pipit_," replied the boy in an impatient tone. "And I'm here for answers."

"_Answers…_" Humored, the king placed a gauntlet-clad fist underneath his chin. "You'll have to ask _questions,_ first, boy."

"You _know_ what I'm talking about," he snarled. "How do I know? The only reason I'm still working for you at this point is that you've been denying me access to your quarters for the past week. You're afraid that I know all about your _'secret weapon'_."

Ganondorf scoffed. "_Afraid_!? Bah! Hardly! I could care less if you knew about the weapon. You can't resign, either_-_\- I'd just _kill_ you."

"Nonetheless," said the king, "you likely haven't an idea what my weapon is."

"I know exactly what it is," replied Pipit. "You've been giving the plague to the poor, since they're useless. It transforms them into those demons in the Haunted Wasteland. You're using those… _things…_ as a weapon against Lorule."

Ganondorf simply chuckled, waving his hand out toward the door. "Begone."

"I'm not hearing any denial."

"You're not," agreed the king. "What are you going to do, then, boy? Do you want to send in your _'resignation letter'_ now?"

"Nope." The camera moved jerkily as Pipit took off the sunglasses. "Remember these glasses you issued your agents? Oh, yeah, they have a recording device in 'em. And what if I broadcast the footage of those demons, along with our conversation we had today, all across the kingdom?"

The JumboTron suddenly shifted to another film strip, where one could see, with the point-of-view of Pipit, a dozen dark, demonic beasts stampeding toward him. The camera zoomed in to one of these Shadow Beasts, and its features were clearly portrayed on the enormous screens. While the footage played, a voice spoke: "Hyrule and Lorule: this is Sir Daphnes, leader of the rebellion."

Midna turned to stare wide-eyed at the former king, who merely shrugged with a small smile. She was quite surprised he'd revealed himself; all of Hyrule thought he'd been killed, and most of Lorule didn't know who their true leader was. The latter was confirmed by many gasps and cheers from the streets below, where hundreds of pedestrians gathered at any JumboTron nearby.

"You think I have passed away_-_\- that I had been killed by the tyrant, Ganondorf. But I assure you: I live.

"What you've seen here on this broadcast is a meeting with the former HBI agent, Pipit, and King Ganondorf himself.

"As admitted by the king, the demonic beasts you see now have been created by him. King Ganondorf ordered his scientists to develop a contagious parasite that slowly kills its host. The parasite grows and reproduces rapidly over time until the body cannot withstand such a large amount, and the host is killed. The parasites emerge from the lifeless body and form together to make one horrifying monster, called a Shadow Beast.

"These creatures are brought under the control of King Ganondorf, who sends them to the land between the two nations Hyrule and Lorule, otherwise known as the Haunted Wasteland. The Shadow Beasts await any form of life to enter their land and kill them, turning them into one of their own in the process.

"So what happens to those who fail, since they don't really get sent to labor camps, as the king had told you? They are infected with the specially-developed parasites.

"Cures have been developed, which enter the body and eradicate the parasites. But these are only available to those who passed their exams_-_\- those who are useful to the kingdom. Treatments are also developed and given to the poor provinces to lengthen life. This is to decrease suspicion of the examination system.

"This is Ganondorf's secret weapon against the Lorule provinces. He is killing his own people, then transforming them into monsters to aid him in the war. He had kept this information withheld from the public, and now, it has been revealed."

The JumboTron shifted once more, to the Lorulean symbol, the golden Triforce. Above and below the symbol, text displayed:

THE MEMORY OF THE GOLDEN KINGDOM HAS VANISHED, BUT ITS LEGEND SURVIVES ON THE WIND'S BREATH.

O, HOLY GODDESSES, LEAD US TO OUR IMPENDING TRIUMPH, THE RETURN OF LIGHT, AND THE EVIL KING'S DEATH!

The JumboTron shut off, and Midna put her cell up to her ear. "I'd call _that_ a success."

"Uh-huh," agreed Ashei.

"How is the Hylian public taking the new information?"

"Well," replied the girl, "I'm in the facility, so I can't see anything…"

When Midna sighed quietly in disappointment, Ashei spoke again.

"But I can definitely _hear_ something." She laughed lightly. "They're outraged."

* * *

1715 HOURS.

WIND FISH SHORE, KOHOLINT PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

64 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

It was dark. Very dark. The bronze helm I wore only illuminated a small portion in my path; if I reached my hand out all the way I would not be able to see it. Nonetheless, I continued to swim downward at an approximate forty-five degree angle. I tried using the back of my right hand, which bore the Triforce of Courage, for a light source, but it grew dimmer and dimmer as I distanced myself from land.

I swam for another minute or so, until I saw a bright light tear away the darkness of the ocean. Piqued, I made my way toward the light source. It grew larger with every passing second, and I realized that it was heading toward me, as well.

Suddenly my earpiece_-_\- which somehow, probably because of the Zora Tunic, wasn't affected by the water_-_\- beeped. "Link!"

It was the voice of Robin. What could he want? And Robin never sounds distressed; something must be wrong.

"Enemy forces are in the water! Get out of there now!"

Yes, something definitely was wrong.

My eyes widened as I saw three more light sources, most likely projectiles, hurtling toward me at an alarming speed.

Without thinking, I spun and dived deeper into the water, and the rockets passed safely overhead. Looking back up through my bronze helm, I realized with horror that my attacker was an enormous submarine; behind it came three other pairs of headlights.

I didn't waste time looking through the windshield. (For some odd reason, I thought it was Groose trying to kill me.) Instead, I propelled myself backward by pushing my feet off the gargantuan sub's windshield, rocketing back toward land. Explosions from behind me rattled my eardrums, but I never turned my back.

Fortunately, the Zora Tunic's magic made me a lot faster than the submarines.

I leaped out of the water, bounded up the shore, and stole a glance behind me. Four metal vehicles rose from the ocean, the largest one in the lead, and ascended slowly in the sky. Each one had a flattened top surface and four propeller engines in each corner_-_\- similar to LoCrafts, but these were built for war. The cockpits were identical to those of regular helicopters, yet the largest vehicle's cockpit resembled the head of a dragon.

I turned my head back and dashed forward. Ahead of me were the Lorulean forces, the convoy trucks aiming their turrets at the aircrafts, and I frantically searched for Zelda. I couldn't see her anywhere, so I decided to take cover first.

Maneuvering between the foot soldiers, I made my way behind the trucks. I swiveled my head left and right, looking for Zelda. Coming up short, I sagged my shoulders as fear wormed its way into my mind. My eyes landed upon Robin, who was still sitting atop Onox, and I dashed toward him.

"Link!" he called. "You must flee! We mustn't allow Hyrule to take the mask!"

"No!" I shouted back over the clamor of fearful soldiers. "I need to find Zelda. Do you know where she is?"

Robin scratched his chin. "I believe she is under the hospitality of Agent Fledge and Agent Sheik. Search for their vehicle."

"Okay."

Before I could leave, Robin grabbed my arm. "Link, please. You must leave. Zelda will be safe."

A memory resurfaced from within my mind. Robin had said that destroying Majora's Mask would release the spirit of Majora, and it could consume me. According to the legend of the original Termina, Majora's spirit lived within another mask… I could not remember exactly which one, but I figured that because of the existence of the other mask, I wouldn't be harmed if consumed by the spirit. Probably. But I knew one thing for certain: I had to destroy Majora's Mask.

As to not reveal my plan to Robin, I simply said, "I'm going to find her."

"Link!" Robin protested, but I was already gone.

Sure, I had to destroy the mask, but that could be done later. My first priority was to locate Zelda; I had to see for myself that she was safe before my qualms were alleviated.

* * *

"Where is the boy!?" Volga shouted into his walkie talkie. "Byrne- I see no green tunic in the entire area!"

"You do not?"

"No!"

"Well, um… he might be wearing a disguise to throw us off. Hang on; we're currently in southern Outset, and I'll help look for him when we get there."

"Until you find him," Volga snarled, gaining altitude in the Wardragon, "I will not land the Wardragon to go and steal the mask. Volga out."

Volga activated the megaphone, and he announced to the Loruleans, "Listen well, you worthless peasants. Hand over the Shadow Agent immediately or we will open fire."

All was silent except for the whirl of the aircrafts' engines and the waves lapping up against the shore.

"You have three more seconds. One…" Volga's thumb hovered over the artillery button on the control panel. "Two…" His thumb now rested atop the button. "Thr_-_-"

Volga roared as a bullet pierced the windshield and lodged itself in his shoulder. A sniper had shot him. He reached out to launch the bombs, but something collided with the tail end of the Wardragon, throwing Volga out of his chair and sending the aircraft into a descending spiral.

The warbirds responded immediately, raining bullets down upon the Lorulean forces.

Clutching his wounded shoulder, Captain Volga struggled to lift himself back up to his chair, gripping the steerer and regaining control of the aircraft.

"Captain," spat the voice of King Ganondorf himself.

Volga responded into the walkie talkie, "Yes?"

"I hope you haven't lost the pendant I gave you. I went through a lot of work to steal that from the Ikana Province."

"No." Volga peered down at the necklace that hung over his armor. "It's still on my person."

"Good. Although, if you see the Shadow Agent, engage immediately. I do not care if you lose the pendant to him."

"What?" Volga inquired incredulously; the king was contradicting himself. "Why not?"

"You do not realize it," Ganondorf said slowly, "but that will progress my plan."

"Whatever," he replied rudely. "I see something suspicious."

He caught a glimpse of a person in blue, and Volga smirked, releasing a shower of rockets toward him.

* * *

1725 HOURS.

WIND FISH SHORE, KOHOLINT PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

64 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

I released a startled cry after sighting the incoming projectiles, evading out of the way and diving into the sand. The rockets collided with the solid earth, and the force from the explosions propelled me backward. Grunting in pain, ears ringing, I forced myself to rise to my feet, turning to view the enemy. The dragon-headed aircraft was facing me; I was being targeted. I was what they wanted. Noting to focus my attacks on that vehicle, I continued northward, where I'd last seen Sheik's truck.

"Agent Link!" shouted Robin once more, but I did not turn back.

Sheik's truck was on the end; Fledge was aiming a sniper at the cockpits, and Sheik mounted the turret, roaring while sending innumerable bullets toward the aircrafts.

"Fledge!" I called once in his hearing range.

Fledge turned his head, then ducked behind the makeshift barricade they had formed out of scrap metal. "Link, get under cover! They're after you!"

I obeyed, sliding feet-first in the grass and ending up next to Fledge behind the barricade. "Where the hell is Zelda?"

"She's fine," he said; the words still didn't appease my worries. We both grunted and covered our heads with our arms upon hearing an explosion somewhere in the battlefield. "A few soldiers came to pick 'er up. She's most likely in Clock Town now."

Defeated, I sighed solemnly. I trusted Fledge, but I fretted over Zelda nonetheless. No words could quell my growing fears for her wellbeing.

"Oh, dammit!" Sheik shouted over the thundering of the turret. "Link, look to the north!"

I did. My heart sank when I watched a Hylian convoy barreling down the shore straight toward us. There had to be about fifteen military trucks, all bearing heavy turrets and rocket launchers.

As if the giant aircrafts weren't enough.

"Shit!" Sheik exclaimed. "Yo, Viscen! Head toward that convoy!"

A man in the driver's seat poked his head out, yelling toward Sheik, "You sure? That's suicide!"

"Entirely sure, Captain! With this badass turret, there's no way they're taking me down!"

"Famous last words…" Viscen muttered. Still, though, he did as Sheik asked, turning the truck right and facing the oncoming threat.

"Link," Fledge said, "I'm going to that hill up there; it's a good vantage point!" He pointed to a hill east from where we currently were.

"Alright! Be careful, man!" I replied, giving him a quick salute.

Fledge returned the gesture, took a deep breath, and darted out from behind the barricade. He strapped his sniper over his back, and as he ran, he lobbed a grenade toward the Hylian convoy. The grenade landed in the bed of the lead truck, exploded, and flipped the entire vehicle forward until it landed top-down. Fledge evaded a missile heading toward him, then pressed on toward the hill.

Knowing my cover was about to be blown anyway, I leapt out from behind the barricade, knelt on one knee, shut one eye and pressed my open one into my sniper scope. I took aim, pointing the long barrel at the windshield of a nearby truck, and fired. I knew I'd hit my target when the truck spun out of control, ramming into another until finally coming to a halt.

Figuring I'd be able to hit another, I aimed this time at a soldier mounted upon a turret, who was firing toward Fledge. My bullet entered the soldier's skull, and I quickly shifted my aim toward the driver of the same truck. Once without an operator, the truck crashed into its ally and caught fire, eventually exploding.

I ducked back behind the barricade, checking up on Fledge. Fortunately, he had reached the hill, and he was scaling it at a quick pace. But something was off; Fledge kept grabbing at his neck, as if trying to pry something off of it. And then I remembered.

The collar.

I watched in horror as Fledge stopped in his tracks, clutching the collar around his neck and thrashing violently. With a flash of red, the collar released electricity into his neck, and Fledge dropped to the ground.

"No!" I roared, dashing out toward him. I halted when bullets and lasers kicked up sand in front of me, and I was forced to return to my barricade. It was futile; Fledge had been killed, and rushing out to get to him would just kill me as well.

I looked behind me, noticing that Robin had disappeared, and many trucks from the Lorulean forces lay flaming and in pieces. Some soldiers persevered, firing in vain at the giant aircrafts that would soon end their lives.

"Ah, shit!" Sheik shouted. "Fledge's down. Viscen, fall back! We need to band together with the remaining soldiers!"

"Alright!"

"Yo, Link! Hop on!" Sheik shouted. I vaulted over the side of the truck, landing in the back next to Sheik. Viscen drove in reverse, and Sheik and I fired at the oncoming convoy with turret and sniper. I managed to pick off two more drivers, and Sheik killed three mounted soldiers, leaving nine more vehicles. Excluding the aircrafts, of course.

My earpiece beeped. "Agent Link, retreat is our only option!" came the voice of Midna.

"No!" I shouted, attracting the attention of Viscen; apparently, he'd heard Midna's statement as well. I continued speaking. "We're not going to live to see Hyrule take over this land! If Hyrule wants this battlefield, they're gonna have to kill all of us first!"

"They will!" retorted Viscen.

I shook my head. "No, they will _not_. 'All of us' includes _me_."

We reached the remaining Loruleans, and Viscen stopped the truck. Sheik turned to speak, averted his eyes to behind me, and yelped, "Link!"

I turned just in time to be met with an iron punch to the face. Roaring in pain as the bridge of my nose collapsed, I toppled backward over the edge of the truck's bed, landing hard on the dirt below. Wiping away a stream of blood that began to leak from my nose, I slowly rose to my feet, but was only clobbered back to the ground when my legs were swept out from underneath me.

I landed facedown in the sand, grunting painfully. My vision threatened to black out, pain shot through my broken nose, and my eyes stung from the sand.

My shoulder was gripped rather strongly, and I was turned over to lie face-up. Squinting up at what seemed to be a de-armored samurai warrior on steroids, I noticed a badge on his shirt that symboled his authority. He was a general, but I'd never seen him in my life.

Next thing I knew, I was being ripped upward by the fabrics of my tunic, being gripped tightly by a prosthetic arm. "I've got you," he said with a husky voice and thick accent.

Still a little woozy from being punched, all I could manage was, "Wha…?"

"Shut the hell up, cretin," he spat, releasing his grip on me. "Where is the mask?"

I struggled to maintain balance, but eventually did so. "Y-you… cannot… have it."

"Take a look around, boy," he growled. "You are surrounded by Hylian forces. Your soldiers, in a total of ten seconds, all laid down their weapons and surrendered."

I surveyed the battlefield. Sheik was being restricted by a pair of Hylians; the remaining seven Lorulean trucks were busted, disarray, and lay unmanned; all Loruleans were on their knees. All of this managed to form a circle around me and the general, who stood a yard away, a triumphant sneer hidden beneath his bandana. When I looked up, I saw the four aircrafts hovering overhead, all eager to blow everything to smithereens.

"Your forces will all be killed by the Wardragon and warbirds if they attempt to aid you."

Still dazed as if drunk, I murmured, "War…birds?"

"I know you possess the mask of Majora. Fight me, puny 'hero of legend'."

With those words, I was cured. Focused. Determined. Anticipating. Poised. I squared off against the general, withdrawing my blaster.

Every Hylian simultaneously drew their assault rifles and pointed them at me.

The general sneered. "Drop your guns, kid."

Grumbling, I obeyed; my dual pistols, dual blasters, and sniper all hit the dirt, and I kicked them to some lucky bastard behind me.

When I reached for my knives, he halted me. "You can keep your blades. I could go for a greater challenge," he jeered, rotating his prosthetic arm in its socket.

"Whatever. It's your tombstone," I murmured, smirking. "'Death by stabbing' sounds a lot better than 'death by beating,' huh?"

The man chuckled."Heh. I like your style, kid. It's a shame you left; I think we would've gotten along well."

"I have a feeling we won't get along well today."

"Instead of fighting me, you may surrender the mask immediately, and your life will be spared."

"Just so I can give Ganondorf the ability to execute me publicly? Hm, no. I think I'll just kill you right now."

"Do that if you please, but remember the army that surrounds you."

"The army, or the slaves?"

"Enough!" he bellowed. "Fight me already, you coward!"

The man charged toward me, his first wound up to punch. "Coward!?" I roared, dashing toward him as well. He swung his fist, but I dodged, raking my knife across his shoulder. When he leaped backward, I raised my right hand for him to see the back of it. "No coward bears this symbol!" The Triforce of Courage shined brightly in agreement, and I was filled with its power.

The general roared in response, charging forward once more. We simultaneously wound our fists up_-_\- he with his left, prosthetic arm and me with my right arm_-_\- and swung. Our fists met; my knuckles split against the thick iron, my elbow jarred within its socket, and every bone in my arm seemed to shatter. But then, somehow, everything in my arm was healed, and to my dismay, the force from _my_ punch sent _him_ flying backward.

In awe, I gawked at the shining insignia on the back of my right hand. It had somehow allowed me to overpower the man with an iron arm.

But the fight wasn't over.

Perplexed, the general flipped back up, snarled, and flexed his clawed fingers. He lunged at me, slicing diagonally with dragon-like talons, and I rolled out of the way. Landing on the sand, he followed up with two hacks just as I rose to my feet. On his second swipe, his claws raked against my chest painfully, tearing through the bulletproof vest and tunic before meeting my skin.

Grunting in pain, I dodged another swipe, hopping backward to avoid his onslaught. As I looked around, noticing that my allies were restrained, the trucks were destroyed, and the four enormous aircrafts loomed ominously above, I came to a realization.

What did I have to lose?

If I killed this bastard who stood in front of me, I'd just get shot_-_\- or, better yet, nuked by the aircrafts. My allies were about to be dead. Zelda, from what I'd heard, was safe_-_\- for the time being.

The odds were overwhelmingly against me already, so I'd might as well prevent Hyrule from an incredibly easy victory.

I withdrew the heart-shaped mask by one of its top spikes, raising it upward in the air. The general's eyes widened.

I dropped the mask. With my glowing right hand, I raised my knife.

"N-no!" the general protested, lunging toward me.

But I had already brought the knife down, stabbed it into the surface of the mask, and released the spirit of Majora. The light emanating from my hand mixed with the clouds of unrelenting darkness that swarmed out of the relic, poking at my mind and whispering coaxing, indecipherable words. I released an agonized bellow towards the heavens, noticing that my voice was much deeper, more powerful.

Majora's spirit was, indeed, consuming me.

Suicide, was it? I'd disagree.

I thought I was about to die. But instead, the spirit of Link blacked out, and it was replaced by an unknown entity.

* * *

Byrne's eyes widened with horror as he stared at the Deity before him. It had been Link a mere moment ago, but after he destroyed the mask, the Deity manifested.

The humanoid had white hair and electric eyes without any irises or pupils. His face was smeared with red and blue war paint in tribal patterns, his tunic was replaced by scaly steel armor, and he wielded a massive sword with a blade that appeared to be an elongated, sharpened number "8". It stood there, hand glowing, piercing white eyes locked with Byrne's.

As panic clouded his judgement, Byrne shouted, "Open fire!"

The Deity merely smirked.

The soldiers took aim, but were hesitant to shoot it. Before they could, the humanoid was already in motion, striding toward the general with fury in his eyes. As he progressed, his hand glowed brighter, and soon his blade was illuminated additionally.

Byrne backed up, but eventually hardened and stood his ground; he narrowed his eyes, bent his knees, and raised his prosthetic arm in preparation. The blade met his arm with a flash of golden light; Byrne squinted and grunted as he was thrown backward into a wall of horrified Hylians.

The Deity stood there, both hands gripping the hilt of his broadsword, and narrowed his eyes at the enemy before him. He elicited a deep battle cry and charged, swinging diagonally and raking the blade across the general's chest.

Byrne fell, huffed, and clutched his wound. Blood poured through his torn blue vest, and he felt weaker with each passing moment. As waves of exhaustion threatened to black him out, Byrne glared up at the Deity. With his last breath, he croaked, "…_What are you_!?"

The Deity turned after smiting the soldier that restricted the Sheikah boy, then simply lifted his chin at the general. He did not speak; there was no need to acknowledge the enemy. He thrashed as a flurry of bullets struck his solid exterior, then turned to stare furiously at the perpetrators with wide, unblinking eyes. The band of soldiers faltered, gasped in fear, then turned to flee.

Instead of pursuing them, the Deity simply allowed them to leave. There was no need to attack those who posed no threat.

A cluster of maybe seven soldiers began to drag Byrne away toward their military trucks, and the Deity tried in vain to stop them. They'd already distanced themselves far enough that it would simply be a waste of time to pursue.

And time was needed. The Deity knew not when his spirit would escape the body of Link; therefore, he would make his limited time count.

The Loruleans experienced a glimmer of hope; the Deity was causing many Hylians to flee for their lives. Just as they were about to celebrate, a torrent of missiles came raining down upon them.

The Deity hissed after being struck in the back, then turned and glared with fury at one of the three smaller aircrafts. With an almighty roar, the humanoid skyrocketed through the air toward the vehicle, latching onto a wing and clambering up to the top. His heavy boots thudded heavily on the aircraft as he made his way toward the cockpit, and he lunged upward. He brought his broadsword down through the windshield, shattering the glass and thrusting into the upper body of the pilot. The aircraft spun out of control, spiraling downward to meet its doom.

The Deity waited until at the same altitude of the next aircraft, then leaped off of the crashing vehicle and through the stormy sky. He raised his blade, catching a strike of lightning, and slammed it down through the next windshield after colliding painlessly with the cockpit. The pilot was impaled through the chest, thrashing violently as electricity coursed throughout his body.

As the aircraft descended, the Deity stood atop its wing, peering out at the leader. The dragon-headed vehicle turned toward him, and it released a torrent of homing rockets. Bracing himself, the Deity stood in a stance similar to that of a batter's; when the rockets were near, the Deity spun in a circle and swung his broadsword horizontally at the rockets.

Most projectiles exploded, throwing the Deity off balance, but two were sent flying back toward the lead aircraft.

Grunting, the pilot veered to the left, and the projectiles collided with the right side of the cockpit. Volga glared down with disdain upon the Deity below, noticing with humor that its ride was about to crash.

As the aircraft's descent rate increased more rapidly, the Deity performed yet another mighty leap, soaring through the lightning-torn sky and clinging onto the front-right wing of the lead aircraft. Grimacing, he swung his legs upward, standing upright on the vehicle. He dashed for the cockpit, seeing the flames erupt on the right side of its exterior. Oddly, the windshield was already shattered, revealing the pilot clearly; he was adorned in red samurai-like armor, resembling the scales of a dragon, and a silver dragon-headed helm crowned his head.

The pilot jerked his head backward, black war paint concealing parts of his cheeks and the rims of his eyes, and growled furiously at the Deity that stood atop his vehicle.

The Deity sprinted toward the cockpit, struggling to maintain his footing as the pilot jerked the vehicle in sporadic directions. Finally he reached his destination, reached inside for a red handle, and yanked it upward.

"What are you_-_\- OH, DAMN YOU!" roared the pilot as his seat was ejected out of the aircraft, and he soared upward through the sky.

The Deity commandeered the vehicle, gripping the steerer and veering it toward the final aircraft. Curious as to what it did, the Deity pressed the biggest, brightest button, and shrugged.

Gigantic missiles shot through the air and slammed into the vehicle, and it exploded into a perpetual inferno.

So _that_ was what the button did.

Smirking, the Deity released his control of the aircraft, allowing it to descend toward the ground. He waited patiently, kneeling over the edge of the open cockpit, for the perfect time to jump.

When the Deity noticed it was going to crash on a cluster of Hylian military trucks, he smirked, then leaped out of the aircraft at the last possible moment.

He circled his arms and legs through the air as he fell, propelling himself away. The aircraft exploded behind him, rattling the Deity's eardrums; the force from the blast helped propel him further away from the flames.

The humanoid collided forcefully with the sandy ground, knees buckling beneath him. He grimaced, then looked up at the storming sky. Parachuting down was none other than the pilot of the dragon-headed aircraft.

When he landed, the Deity gripped the hilt of his broadsword anxiously. The pilot exited the chair and growled at the Deity, "You."

No response came from the humanoid.

"You dare oppose me? The ruthless Volga?" He slowly began walking toward the Deity. "You are no mere mortal. The goddesses are interfering, transforming you into this… _demon_."

How ironic that the pilot called him a demon. _Who_ was the one working for the Demon King's descendant?

"You are manipulating fate. Cheating death. You have no true courage, boy. I do not care if you bear that specific Triforce. True courage is fighting without the goddesses' assistance."

For the first time since possessing Link's body, the Deity spoke. His voice was smooth; deep, loud and imposing, but smooth. "Courage is merely an instinct. It is indefinable. That is where you are wrong."

Volga lost his temper, roared, and charged toward the Deity.

He merely smirked. As soon as Volga was near, the Deity drove his broadsword through the thick, scaly armor of his midsection, driving it through the other end. Volga sputtered as he was lifted off his feet. The Deity noticed a glimmering ruby around Volga's neck, and he yanked the necklace off before dropping the lifeless captain to the ground.

As he studied the necklace incredulously, the Deity's soul suddenly dissipated, and the spirit of Link returned at last.

* * *

TIME UNKNOWN.

LOCATION UNKNOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE (LIKELY).

MODERATE TEMPERATURE

"Incredible…" murmured the voice of Robin. "And here I thought he needed the power of the Master Sword to destroy the spirit of Majora. Clearly, all he needed was the power from the back of his hand. It's just… incredible."

"Will he be alright?" I silently hoped that was Zelda.

"Of course, my dear," said a third voice. If that previous voice was Zelda, than the most recent one better have been her father's.

"How's his condition?"

"Dr. Gero said he had a minor concussion, which was most likely from releasing the spirit of Majora. Aside from that and a broken nose, he's fine."

"He found the third pendant, too."

"Did he, now?"

"The pendant of power?"

"Yeah. Don't you see it? It's around his neck."

"So… that means…"

"It is time to awaken the Master Sword."

With that, my eyes snapped open. I was lying in a hospital bed, an unattractive bandage plastered over the bridge of my nose, head swimming painfully. I surveyed the room; Zelda sat at my bedside, and Robin and Daphnes stood at the far wall.

"Link," Zelda whispered softly, her smile lightening my mood in an instant.

I smiled too_-_\- well, I tried_-_\- and sat up in my bed. The meager act sent spots racing up to my eyes, and I had to blink several times to regain my vision. "…Hey_-_-" I cut myself off when I looked again at Daphnes.

He plastered on a fake, toothy grin when I caught his eye. I saw right through it, glaring furiously at the man. Daphnes' smile was then wiped clean off, and he scrutinized me with a puzzled expression. "Link? Are you okay?"

I clenched my teeth and fists, restraining myself from attacking him right then and there. He was Zelda's father, after all_-_\- well, sort of. But that didn't mean I couldn't be angry with him.

And angry was a major understatement.

"You killed Fledge."

* * *

**My updates are slowing down a bit because of the increasing length of my chapters, so I hope that's okay with you.**

**If you want an estimate of how long this story will be, I'm actually now thinking 35 to 45 chapters.**

**My third story, Counting Stars, will be published sometime this month or in April.**

**TBC.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, eat sausage, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


	22. Awakening

**The drama is real in this chapter. Enjoy.**

**Song suggestions: Beginning- "Farewell Hyrule King" (WWHD OST) / Saria- "Sage Fado" (WWHD OST) / Dark World- "Sacred Grove" (TP OST) / Sheik, Impa- "The Legendary Hero" (WWHD OST)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding The Legend of Zelda. I wish I did.**

**Thanks to Skyward Scrub for being an awesome beta reader.**

* * *

**PAR****T II** **-** **KING OF SHADOWS**

**Chapter 22: Awakening**

* * *

1300 HOURS.

LORULE HOSPITAL, CLOCK TOWN.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

68 DEGREES INSIDE.

Daphnes fumbled for words as I glared pointedly at him. "W-well, Link, there are many casualties in war—"

"Don't pull that shit on me," I snarled, sitting up in the hospital bed and battling the spots that appeared in my vision. "You killed Fledge."

All eyes landed on the former king. "What makes you think that?" he asked.

"He came to my place and told me about the collar."

Daphnes' eyes widened incredulously. "…He _told_ you? Drat, how did Midna not catch that on the recordings?"

"Do you not get the point?!" I demanded abruptly, voice raising to a yell. "You're withholding information from us! Keeping secrets! _Lying_!"

"Link, there are some things you should _not_ know," he argued calmly.

"Like having a ticking time bomb attached to your own agents?!"

"Fledge was escaping conflict, which could only mean one thing: he was trying to avoid further Lorulean captivity."

"Fledge was ascending a hill for a better vantage point! He was attempting to snipe the incoming convoy—" I cut myself off. "You know what, that's beside the point! You're a tyrant!"

"A _tyrant_?"

"I _already_ worked for a _lying, secretive_ tyrant. And I came here to do what's right. So if you're gonna do the _same damn things_ as Ganondorf, what's the point of staying here?! What the hell is gonna happen after I kill him, huh?! You'll take over, rule the kingdom, and be _just_ as bad as Ganon?!"

Zelda, who was shrinking uncomfortably into her chair, reached for my hand to calm me down. But I retracted it quickly and continued my tirade toward Daphnes.

"Listen, man, and _listen well._ I didn't come to this nation to be another _puppet_ and work for someone like you. It's not just about Fledge, either—your deception, backstabbing, and secretiveness is _intolerable._" I lowered my voice to a soft but hostile tone. "If there are any other secrets you've kept from me, you'd sure as hell better let me in on it _now,_ because you'd hate to have me find out when I'm in an _even worse_ mood."

"…For now, I'm afraid that I cannot inform you—"

I snorted, cutting him off. "Then I'm resigning."

"Wait, wait," he said, sighing, defeated. "There is one other thing we've been keeping secret."

"Then you'd better tell me."

Daphnes' eyes shifted to Robin, who was observing the innocent from the back of the room. "Could you please give us a moment?"

"Sure, of course." He smiled. "But remember that my companion, Proxi, is called the Rumor Fairy. She will obtain this information as soon as you tell it. You cannot keep me ignorant for _too_ long, good sir." His eyes caught mine; I could tell he was sided with me on this issue.

"Fine," replied Daphnes curtly. "Stay." He looked at Zelda, next. "As for _you,_ my daughter—"

"Don't call me your _'daughter,'_ Daphnes," she spat indignantly. "You've never been a father to me. And I'm on Link's side; you're not hiding anything from _me,_ either. I'm staying right here."

The man's breath caught, and he gaped at the blonde girl sitting next to the hospital bed. Then, he regained his composure, intook a breath, and set his eyes firmly upon mine. "I have had it with your insolence, boy. You came to Lorule seeking refuge from the kingdom that wanted you killed, not to take control and know every detail of our government."

I sneered. "Then exile me."

Taken aback, the king squinted. "What?"

"Heh," I laughed mockingly. "_Exile_ me, then. Believe me, you will have _no_ problem slaying the reincarnation of Demise. You won't have either the Triforce of Courage or Wisdom, but who needs those things, right?"

Daphnes' eyebrows furrowed, lip quivering with frustration. "You have grown arrogant."

"Arrogant, maybe," I said, glaring intensely at the man. "But who _else_ bears the Triforce of Courage? Who _else_ is Hylia's hero, reborn?"

No reply came from Daphnes.

"Now you'll tell me _everything_ you've kept from me, or you can kiss your victory goodbye."

He leaned back into his chair, giving me a stern, icy glare. "Ganondorf is invincible for now, as I am told," he began. "But that does not mean he is invulnerable."

I eyed Zelda; her eyes shone with unshed tears, and I reached for her hand. She took it gratefully, but didn't meet my eyes.

"The plan is to deploy a nuclear bomb above Hyrule Castle."

"What?!"

"Are you _insane_?!"

Daphnes raised a hand calmly, silencing us. "The bomb will obliterate the castle and anything in a one hundred mile radius."

_That's the_ entire _city of Castle Town!_

"Ganondorf will be wounded, allowing you to slay him with the help of the Master Sword and the Triforce pieces."

"So your solution is to murder innocent people in Castle Town?!" I demanded, slamming a fist on the bed. "Just how eager _are_ you to return to the throne?!"

"That is _not_ my primary goal!" he shouted. "Look, boy: the war has prevailed through many moons. It is time to end it. This is the safest way to do so."

This time, Robin spoke up: "The safest way for _you,_ or for _everyone_?"

"I cannot believe you would even consider doing that," I grumbled, shaking my head disdainfully. "You are a tyrant."

"Cease your accusations, boy! Need I remind you who transformed into a demon yesterday?"

"Need I remind you which demon saved the Koholint Province from inevitable destruction and attained the pendant of power?"

"Sirs, please!" Robin interrupted. "That is _quite_ enough!"

We both calmed ourselves; I hadn't realized how quickly my heart was thumping. "Bombing the entire city…" I muttered. "What a terrible plan."

"Unless you can find a better solution and complete it before my plan commences, the bomb is being dropped."

"When is your plan commencing?"

"One month, exactly."

"Plenty of time," I said. "I will kill Ganondorf by then."

"You make it sound so simple," Daphnes replied. "How will you do it without Lorulean assistance?"

Robin fixated his gaze on the man, inquiring, "What do you mean?"

"I shall not waste my troops on _his_ plan," explained the former king. "If _his_ plan fails, then I will not have enough soldiers for _mine_."

I released Zelda's hand, standing up gingerly as to avoid another head rush. "So you're saying I'm gonna have to take on the entire Hylian army single-handedly?!"

"Not if you agree to follow through with _my_ plan," he replied cunningly.

"In your fucking dreams."

"Besides, do you not have the Triforce of Courage and Wisdom? Oh," he raised a finger in the air, "but who needs those things, anyway?"

I shook my head, sighing in frustration. "I don't know what happened to you."

He squinted, confused.

"Before Ganondorf ever entered Hyrule," I began slowly, "you were supposedly the most honest and just ruler. Now… you're the complete opposite."

His eyes fell to his lap. "…War does that to a man, Link." His eyes grew damp. "I have grown desperate. My wife abandoned me, without even a farewell, the night before the ambush; apparently she had known about it before I did. I found out days later that she had died giving birth. I've spent years here, making minimal progress toward liberating the golden kingdom. When I heard of your existence, the reborn spirit of the hero, I sent spies and troops to try and locate you. I even trusted Ravio and Hilda, who ended up betraying me. And now… I am losing the trust of our last resort for victory."

"I am truly sorry," I said sympathetically, "but you cannot release your desperation and anguish on innocent people because of a rash decision. You must be a bit more patient, a bit more strategic."

"You may be right, Link, but I am tired of waiting. My daughter and old friends have all abandoned me; Hyrule's return is the very last hope I have."

Damn. I thought I was changing his mind. "Sir, you are being selfish. Think about all the people you will be killing!"

He wiped away a tear. "They will die with dignity, then. Apologies, Link, but my mind is set."

"Goddesses damn you," I cursed, fighting the spots forming in my vision as I shoved my way through the hospital room door.

I didn't care that I'd passed out a day before. I left the building, and I ran. Where? I didn't know.

I just kept running—yeah, like Forrest Gump.

* * *

1528 HOURS.

DEKU FOREST, DEKU PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

54 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

It was eerily quiet as I walked through the forest of the Deku Province. I didn't know why, but something told me I was being watched. Telling myself I'd be better off not worrying about it, I kept walking in attempts to relax and clear my mind.

The wind picked up slightly, ruffling my sandy brown hair and lifting the end of my green cap. I closed my eyes, breathing in the scent of grass and fresh air. It felt great, as if I were free, unrestrained, unbridled. The shackles were detached from my arms.

With these thoughts in mind, I slowly reopened my eyes to the familiar greenery of Deku Woods. But instead of seeing the winding dirt path before me, I was startled to see a girl. I jumped, heart stopping, then relaxed when I saw her sincere—though a bit teasing—smile.

"Holy Hylia," I murmured. "What are you doing?"

"I could ask the same for you," she replied.

I studied her. She was fairly small, appearing to be ten years old, with fair skin and a green pixie cut that neatly hugged the back of her neck. She wore a green tank and skirt that each portrayed the symbol of Farore.

"…I actually don't know why I'm here," I admitted, slightly abashed.

"That doesn't mean you weren't _meant_ to end up here." The girl smiled, then turned on her heel and began walking down the trail. After a short while, she stopped, turned, and asked, "Well, aren't you coming?"

I shrugged, then followed after the girl in a slow trot.

She spoke in a smooth, young voice: "I guard these woods nowadays. I used to guard those in Faron, but… well, you know."

"Know what?"

"Hyrule is corrupt with evil, even in the most holy locations," she explained. "That is why I fled to this nation… Lorule."

"Yeah. I've been to Hyrule; it ain't pretty." I kicked a pebble to entertain myself while trudging down the dirt path.

"Clearly, you would think so."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She gazed at me with a subtle smirk. "Oh, please. I know of you, Shadow Agent… Or should I say, the reincarnated hero of legend, the bearer of the Triforce of—"

"_Who_ are you?" I interrupted, feeling a little anxious about how much she knew of me.

"Saria," she replied. "I am the Sage of Forest, one of the seven keys to enter the holy vault: the Sacred Realm."

"The Sacred Realm," I repeated; she nodded in confirmation. "Like, where the Master Sword rests?"

"The Master Sword does not rest within the Sacred Realm, as Ganondorf and his followers believe. It was merely sequestered from mortal eyes until all three pendants were in the hero's possession. And now…" Saria stopped in the trail, reached a hand up to my neck, and lifted the three necklaces that dangled from it. The gemstones responded to the sage's contact by illuminating brightly. "…It has reappeared."

My eyes widened. "So it's there right now? In the Temple of Time?"

Saria nodded.

"Dammit," I exclaimed, "I've gotta get over there before Ganon sends guards!"

"That won't be necessary." She raised a hand, halting me from leaving.

"Why?"

Saria raised her eyebrows. "You haven't been told? Well, as greedy as Ganondorf is, he desires the other two pieces of the Triforce. And he knows that you won't face him until you have the Master Sword, so he plans to best you in the duel that decides the kingdom's fate. Don't you see? He _wants _you to get the blade. If you are beaten, he will obtain your piece of the Triforce… And then it won't be too long for him to steal the princess's."

My breath hitched. It was then that I realized just how vital I was. Either I would prevail and slay the King of Evil, or Ganon would obtain world domination. The thought alone made me shudder with fear. "So… losing isn't an option."

"I believe you've known that since the beginning, Link; you just haven't accepted it until now."

I pondered that for a moment, then nodded in submission. "And you said you're a sage? Like the ones from the legends?"

"Not _legends_," she said, "history. But yes, there are six others; each is a leader of a specific race. I, for example, am from the Kokiri."

"Like the Hero of Time."

"Except he was _Hylian._ But let us not stray from the subject. Do you happen to know a leader of a specific race?"

I bit my bottom lip, thinking. There were Ravio and Hilda, who were somewhat leaders, but I didn't know if they had a specific race of _doppelgangers_ or something. There was also that Skull Kid that Vaati blew the brains out of. Neither of those seemed to make sense; nor they be willing to help me. "…Not off the top of my head."

She squinted. "Think deeper."

"…Is there a sage from the Sheikah?" I asked, taking a guess.

"That depends. Who do you have in mind?"

"Impa. The leader of the tribe."

Saria's lips broke out into a smile.

"…No way," I said incredulously. "That woman is a sage? But she's like a frickin' warrior!"

"Sages are diverse in every way," Saria explained. "But yes, Impa is a sage. See to her, Link, and she will answer your additional questions. For now," she placed a dainty hand on my forearm, smiling, "I must leave. Good luck, hero."

I watched as the Sage of Forest backed away from me, disappearing into the vast array of trees and foliage.

* * *

Dead, dried grass crunched underneath the boy's boots as he trudged up the steep hill. Thunder rolled ominously in the distance, and flashes of lightning tore through the red-tinted sky. The boy's dark hair flowed with the dry wind, and he intook a deep breath of the stale air.

Upon reaching the peak of the hill, the boy surveyed the rocky, arid plain below. Jagged spires and crags protruded from the rough landscape, thrusting into the stormy sky. Deep trenches sliced through the plates of rock, joined together by only a few cracked, stone bridges. Thorny, wilted branches jutted outward from their rotten trunks.

Along the horizon stood a dark, gloomy castle, its towers extending up through the sky, roof shingles drooping and nearly plummeting to the ground. Another trench served as a makeshift moat that surrounded the structure, and an old wooden drawbridge allowed access to it.

The boy smiled; he was home.

He continued his trek down the hill, making his way toward the castle, where someone was waiting for him. Pulling the purple hood over his head, the boy broke into a jog as the drawbridge descended.

After the edge of the bridge collided with the rocky surface, the boy waited patiently for his summoner to arrive. When she did, stepping gracefully toward him with the royal staff in hand, he removed his hood and dipped low to the ground in a respectful bow.

"Rise, please," she ordered humbly, smiling genuinely as he complied. "It's good to see you again."

"And the same for you." Then, guiltily, the boy bit his bottom lip and hung his head. "Your majesty, I am truly sorry for not heeding your warnings."

"What do you mean?" she asked, cocking her head, dark hair billowing over her shoulder.

"I returned to the world of light, Princess Hilda. I tried to kill the hero and obtain his Triforce piece. But, instead, he bested me. Once more, I am sorry; I was foolish, impatient, and cowardly."

Hilda's gaze softened, and she sighed. "Seeing as you were not too terribly harmed, I am okay with it. That is, as long as you have not yet revealed your true weapon."

"Was I… not supposed to do that?" he inquired nervously.

"_Please_ tell me you did not transform into the hero's shadow," she said, tone growing hostile.

"…I did."

Hilda's red eyes widened twofold. "Ravio, must you always be so impatient?! Our plan was working well!" As Ravio hung his head once more, unable to meet the princess's eyes, Hilda squinted in thought. "Wait. You said he _bested_ you? Even while in your _true_ form?"

"Yes."

Hilda huffed. "I feared as such. The hero is strengthening himself with every passing moment. Therefore, we shall wait until he is wounded from his battle with Ganondorf. Understood?"

"Yes, your majesty."

Despite the severity of the instances Ravio just described, Hilda's lips twinged to a subtle smile. "Good."

Ravio bowed once more, then turned to depart for his home behind the hill.

"Ravio," Hilda said, grabbing his attention.

The boy turned back around to meet her gaze.

"If you would like, you can accompany me in the castle."

With a grateful smile, Ravio simply nodded, joining the princess as she walked into the castle.

* * *

1615 HOURS.

WIND FISH SHORE, KOHOLINT PROVINCE.

DOMAIN: LORULE.

56 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

"I knew I would find you here."

Sheik sliced the top off a sparring log, wiped a bead of sweat off his brow, and said over his shoulder, "Where else would I be."

Trudging through the sand, I noticed that the bodies of the dead had been cleared out from the shore.

The Sheikah boy took a deep breath, then swung forcefully at the log with his scimitar. It cleaved in two, each one plopping onto the sand. He admired his work, breath ragged.

"You okay, Sheik?"

"No," he admitted, shaking his head. "I'm tired of this fucking war. I just wanna kill Ganondorf already."

"Not to kick you when you're down, but that's actually my job."

"Whatever," he spat. "I don't care anymore. My friend was killed yesterday—killed by someone I once called an _ally._" He shook his head disdainfully at the ground. "Daphnes ain't much better than Ganon, Link."

"I know."

He shifted his gaze to me; his eyes were wild, desperate. "…Do you?"

I nodded, slightly taken aback by the look in his eyes.

"…Then you know what we have to do, right?"

"What's that?"

He clenched his teeth. "We need to kill him."

"Kill him?!" I exclaimed. "That's a little extreme, don't you think?"

"He claims to make decisions for the common good. We will, too. He is a tyrant, and he will take power once Ganondorf is overthrown." He shook his head once more. "This can't happen."

"Sheik—Daphnes is Zelda's _father_," I protested, fear welling up inside me. Sheik could actually turn rogue.

"She doesn't seem too fond of him," he argued. "Besides, you don't have to be the one to kill him."

"Sheik, no! Is murder your solution to everything?!"

"Not murder—_justice._ Justice for killing Fledge. Justice for imprisoning Pipit."

I heaved a heavy, stressful sigh, then said, "Sheik, I suggest you think this through a bit more before you do anything stupid. But I'm in a hurry, so could you please tell me where Impa is?"

Sheik pointed to the lighthouse that stood at the border between Koholint and Outset. "Impa's up there. She actually said that she needed to speak to you, so go on ahead."

"Okay." I left Sheik to his sparring, then jogged toward the tower.

When I arrived at the base of the tower, I called, "Impa?"

The Sheikah leader poked her head over the edge, grinning approvingly down at me. "Come on up, Link," she called back. "We have much to discuss, yes?"

I nodded, then threw open the door to the tower. To ascend, there was a long spiral staircase that led all the way to the top. I climbed it, eventually exiting it and emerging onto the balcony, the salty air stinging my eyes a bit.

Surprisingly, Impa was nowhere to be seen.

I whipped around when I felt something tap my shoulder, then relaxed when I saw Impa standing in the shadowed corner of the balcony. "You met with Saria." It wasn't a question.

"How did you—"

She pointed to something—it appeared to be a tattoo of a coin—on the back of her right hand. "This awakened nearly an hour ago. It is the mark of a sage."

"Impa, I had no idea…" I began, but trailed off as I stared at the warrior in awe.

She smirked, lifting her chin sharply. "Yes. I am the Sage of Shadow. No asking for autographs, now, Link."

I snorted. "Should be the other way around, since I'm more famous."

"Not in the good way, boy."

I rolled my eyes. "So. Saria said you'd answer my questions."

"Ask away, then," she said.

Abashed, I admitted, "I, uh… don't know where to start."

"Then allow me." She cleared her throat, then began.

"There are seven sages, as you know, but for now focus on finding six. The seventh will be awakened after all the others are.

"We sages are required to bind Ganondorf in place—to render him defenseless—for you to deal the final blow with the Master Sword. Without us, Ganondorf cannot be killed. There is another ability we have that's required for your success, but I will not inform you of it until you are ready for the battle.

"You've found two sages, leaving four more for you to discover. Each sage belongs to a different race. One resides in a region of mountains, another exists in the depths of the ocean. Search also in the scorching desert, and finally, a holy temple.

"But first, I suggest you find the remaining Triforce of Wisdom shards. That, of course, has been your priority for quite some time—the relic needs to be completed as soon as possible."

When Impa finished, I asked, "So you're saying I need to search the entire ocean, every mountain, every temple, and the multiple enormous deserts to find these sages?"

She smirked. "No. I'm saying you need to think of the different races in Hyrule, their leaders, and their locations. That will narrow your search quite substantially."

"Could you be any more vague?" I muttered.

"Do not worry, Link," Impa assured me. "You will find them in no time. But, as to prove your allegiance with us and also to track your progress, I shall give you this." She reached into her pocket, withdrawing yet _another_ pendant—that's got to be the _fiftieth_ one I've received—and handed it to me.

It was large, coin-shaped, and had several runes and inscriptions of ancient Hylian text. Six circular indents lined the rim of the coin, and a larger one was located in the middle. The two uppermost indentations glowed; one was green and the other was purple.

"That is the Sage Pendant. The green light represents the Sage of Forest, and the purple light represents yours truly."

"Thank you, Impa," I said, wrapping the pendant around my neck.

"Of course. Now, Link, it is time."

"Time for what?"

She smiled eagerly. "Time for you to awaken the Master Sword."

* * *

**Ugh. I was going to include the Master Sword in this chapter, but I really needed to update for you guys so I'll just put it in the next one. I also felt like I needed to clue you guys in on what was happening in the Dark World, 'cause I haven't mentioned good ol' Ravioli and Hills in awhile. I gave them a little bit of a romantic spark, too.**

**Sorry it took so long, y'all. Hope you enjoyed this.**

**TBC.**

**Until then, Review, Follow, Favorite, do whatever your heart desires. Just make sure it's legal.**

**~SausageLink43**


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